The word subpoena is spelled in such a way that it can be challenging to pronounce. The IPA phonetic transcription for "subpoena" is səˈpiːnə. The word derives from the Latin word "sub poena" which means "under penalty" and refers to a document that requires someone's appearance in court. It is commonly misspelled as "subpeona" because of the unique phonetic pronunciations of the letters "o" and "e". Regardless of the spelling, however, the importance of responding to a subpoena cannot be overstated as failure to do so can lead to severe consequences.
A subpoena is a legal document that commands a person to appear in court to provide testimony or to produce specific documents or evidence in a legal proceeding. It is issued by a court, an administrative agency, or sometimes even by an attorney, depending on the jurisdiction and the type of case. The primary purpose of a subpoena is to compel the attendance of a witness or the production of evidence to facilitate the administration of justice.
The subpoena is typically served on the individual or organization being summoned, specifying the date, time, and location where their presence is required. Failure to comply with a subpoena can result in legal consequences such as being held in contempt of court. However, there are certain circumstances in which a person can challenge or seek to modify a subpoena, such as when it imposes an undue burden or if there are valid objections to the requested information.
Subpoenas play a vital role in the legal system, ensuring fair proceedings by compelling the attendance of relevant witnesses and the production of necessary evidence. They are commonly used in criminal cases to gather evidence against accused individuals, but are also used in civil litigation and administrative proceedings. By requiring the involvement of individuals or organizations with relevant knowledge or information, subpoenas facilitate the pursuit of truth and justice in legal matters.
• To serve with a writ of subpoena.
• In law, a writ commanding the attendance of a person in a court as a witness under a penalty, &c.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "subpoena" derives from Latin. It comes from the Latin phrase "sub poena", which means "under penalty". In the medieval legal system, when a court wanted to summon someone to appear in court, they would issue a writ called "sub poena". This document warned the recipient that they were legally required to appear and that failing to do so would result in penalties or punishment. Over time, the phrase was shortened to "subpoena" to refer to the writ itself. The term has been adopted by English-speaking legal systems.