subpoenas
Legal witness demands
Subpoenas is the plural of subpoena, a legal document commanding someone to appear in court or produce evidence.
The word functions as a verb too: The committee subpoenas witnesses regularly.
To be subpoenaed is to receive such an order—ignoring one risks contempt of court charges.
Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas for the company's financial records.
Investigative charging body
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- inquiryRequest for information
- probeThorough examination or tool
- recordsStored data or albums
documents · evidence gathering · congressional · oversight · committee · whistleblower · disclosure · discovery
Court-issued directive
- summonsFormal court notification
- citationMention of a source
- legal noticeRequired official announcement
- paperworkAdministrative written tasks
service of process · complaint · petition · motion · filing · legal instrument · warrant · mandate
Become perceptible to sight
- produceMake or manufacture
- complyFollow rules or requests
- respondGive a reply
- obeyFollow commands given
enforce · serve · deadline · failure to appear · contempt · obligation · requirement · penalty
One who attests
- defendantParty facing charges
- plaintiffCivil case initiator
- corporationLegally separate business entity
- executiveSenior organizational leader
third party · government · agency · attorney · counsel · recipient · issuer · court clerk
One who attests
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- sworn statementLegally binding written testimony
- affidavitSworn written statement
- oathFormal binding promise
testify · cross-examination · examination · questioning · hearing · perjury · truthful · corroborate
grand jury
Investigative charging body
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- inquiryRequest for information
- probeThorough examination or tool
records · documents · evidence gathering · congressional · oversight · committee · whistleblower · disclosure · discovery · fact-finding
writ
Court-issued directive
- summonsFormal court notification
- citationMention of a source
- legal noticeRequired official announcement
paperwork · service of process · complaint · petition · motion · filing · legal instrument · warrant · mandate · directive
appear
Become perceptible to sight
obey · enforce · serve · deadline · failure to appear · contempt · obligation · requirement · penalty · sanction
witness
One who attests
- defendantParty facing charges
- plaintiffCivil case initiator
- corporationLegally separate business entity
executive · third party · government · agency · attorney · counsel · recipient · issuer · court clerk · judge
witness
One who attests
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- sworn statementLegally binding written testimony
- affidavitSworn written statement
oath · testify · cross-examination · examination · questioning · hearing · perjury · truthful · corroborate · disclosure
- legallawyer, judge, jury, trial, verdict
- court administrationclerks, court clerks, docket, dockets, docketing
- court recordscourt documents, court transcripts, court records, court cases, court record
- legal recordscourt orders, court decisions, court filings, court rolls, court reports
- small claimssmall claims court, claim, claim form, filing fee, filing fees
- civil procedurecomplaint, complaints, answer, answers, pleadings
subpoenasinvitations
Requests to attend
requests · entreaties · suggestions · offers · RSVPs
subpoenasprotective orders
Court-issued safety mandates
gag orders · nondisclosure agreements · dismissals · releases · exemptions
subpoenasgag orders
Legal prohibitions on disclosure
protective orders · non-disclosure agreements · attorney-client privilege · redactions
- subpoena powerAuthority to compel testimony