A subpoena is a legal command to testify or produce documents — backed by contempt-of-court power. You generally must comply, but you can object or move to quash improper, overbroad, or privileged demands.
A subpoena is not a request — it’s compulsory process, and ignoring one risks contempt of court. Two types: testimony (appear and testify) and documents (subpoena duces tecum — produce records). But "must comply" has structure: you can object to demands that are overbroad, unduly burdensome, seek privileged material (attorney-client communications, certain records), or were improperly served — typically via written objections or a motion to quash filed before the compliance date. What you cannot do is nothing. If you’re subpoenaed in someone else’s dispute, you may be entitled to costs of production. Deadlines govern everything here; read the compliance date first and respond, comply, or challenge before it.
Not unilaterally — but you can formally object or move to quash on grounds like privilege, overbreadth, or burden. A court decides; ignoring it invites contempt.
Non-parties can often recover reasonable production costs, and can object when compliance is unduly burdensome — raise it early.
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