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Simple English definitions for legal terms
subpena
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A quick definition of subpena:
Subpena: A subpena is a court order that tells someone they have to come to court and give information or show documents. The court can use a subpena to get information from someone before the trial or during the trial. The court sends the subpena to the person who has the information, and if they don't come to court, they can get in trouble.
A more thorough explanation:
A subpena is a legal order from a court that requires a witness to appear at a specific time and place to give testimony or produce documents. If the witness has documents that are relevant to the case, the subpena may also require them to bring those documents with them.
During a trial, the defense attorney may issue a subpena to a witness who has information that could help their case. The subpena would require the witness to appear in court and testify under oath about what they know.
If the witness fails to appear as required by the subpena, they could be held in contempt of court. This means they could face penalties such as fines or even jail time.