View synonyms for subpoena

subpoena

or sub·pe·na

[ suh-pee-nuh, suhb- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the usual writ for the summoning of witnesses or the submission of evidence, as records or documents, before a court or other deliberative body.

, sub·poe·naed, sub·poe·na·ing.

subpoena

/ səbˈpiːnə; səˈpiːnə /

a writ issued by a court of justice requiring a person to appear before the court at a specified time

subpoena

An order of a court, a legislature, or a grand jury compelling a witness to be present at a trial or hearing, under penalty of fine or imprisonment. Subpoena is Latin for “under penalty.”

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin sub poenā “under penalty” (the first words of the writ)

C15: from Latin: under penalty

From thence he had been brought to attend before the Commission in obedience to a subpœna issued by the Court.

The third privilege of envoys in reference to their exterritoriality is exemption from subpœna as witnesses.

Ryder was not fond of company, he avoided strangers and lived in continual apprehension of the subpœna server.

They had given their message truly before he had been overtaken at Coburg with the subpœna.

MacRae admitted that "a subpœna may issue against him as well as against any other man."

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