What is a subpoena?

• A. A summons from the courts or attorney requiring a witness to appear somewhere and do something
• B. A request to produce documents
• C. A formal complaint filed with the court
• D. A notice of default on a loan

Answer: (A)

A subpoena is a legal document issued by the court or an attorney that commands someone to appear and take action in a legal proceeding. The best description here emphasizes the requirement to show up and do something, which gets at the core function of a subpoena: compelling a witness to attend and provide testimony or otherwise participate in the process. There are variants, such as one that orders a person to bring documents (a subpoena to produce documents), but the essential idea is the court’s authority to compel attendance and participation. The other choices describe different legal actions entirely—an official complaint or a notice of loan default—rather than the command to appear or produce evidence.