Child Support

questions & answers

Question: Does a subpoena have to be signed by a judge to be legally binding and does it have to allow a certain number of days to appear or comply?

Answer: A subpoena is a request for records, documents, or sworn testimony from either an attorney, clerk of the court, or a judge, and a person that does not comply with the subpoena may be charged with contempt. However the subpoena may be contested if you find it invalid or unreasonable but you must promptly inform the court of your decision to challenge it. If the date listed is inconvenient then you may request an extension from whoever issued the subpoena, or if you incur any excessive traveling expenses you may in most cases be reimbursed. The time given to comply will vary and you should not wait until the specified date to make your objection to the court.