subpoena
suh-PEE-nuh
/səˈpiːnə/
A legal writ ordering a person to attend court or produce evidence under penalty.
Compulsory court order targeting witnesses or owners of evidence, distinct from arrest warrants.
The story behind the word. Subpoena combines Latin 'sub' (under) and 'poena' (penalty). Medieval English court writs opened with Latin phrasing ordering appearance 'sub poena'—meaning under penalty of fine or imprisonment if neglected.
Word relationships
- summons: A summons notifies someone of a lawsuit filed against them; a subpoena compels testimony or evidence from a witness.
- writ: Writ is any formal written court order; subpoena is specifically under threat of penalty for non-compliance.
Commonly confused with
- warrant: A warrant authorizes police to search or arrest; a subpoena orders a person to appear in court or produce evidence.
Word family
- subpoenaed (verb (past)): Served with a legal subpoena
- subpoenaing (verb (participle)): The act of serving a court subpoena
Collocations
- issue a subpoena
- serve a subpoena
- subpoena duces tecum
- comply with a subpoena
Idioms & expressions
- under subpoena
Example sentences
- "The judge issued a subpoena demanding that the bank surrender the financial records." Court order
- "She received a subpoena compelling her to testify as a key witness in the upcoming trial." Witness command
Memory hook
SUBPOENA means SUB (under) POENA (penalty) if you fail to appear! Court order under penalty.
When not to use
Do not use for informal invitations or non-binding requests.
Fun facts
- Though spelled with '-poe-', 'subpoena' is pronounced 'suh-PEE-nuh' because Latin 'oe' shifted to a long 'e' sound in English legal tradition.
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