Which court order requires a person to appear and testify in court?

Which court order requires a person to appear and testify in court?

• A. Writ
• B. Pleading
• C. Summons
• D. Subpoena

Answer: (D)

A subpoena is the court order that requires a person to appear and testify in court. It can also compel the production of documents, with the specific form for testimony known as subpoena ad testificandum. If someone ignores it, they can be held in contempt of court, since the order is backed by the court’s authority. In contrast, a writ is a broad order directing a government official or another party to take or refrain from action, not specifically about testifying. A pleading is simply the formal statement of claims and defenses in a case, not an order to appear. A summons notifies a person to appear to answer a civil action, but it does not by itself compel sworn testimony in court.

A subpoena is the court order that requires a person to appear and testify in court. It can also compel the production of documents, with the specific form for testimony known as subpoena ad testificandum. If someone ignores it, they can be held in contempt of court, since the order is backed by the court’s authority. In contrast, a writ is a broad order directing a government official or another party to take or refrain from action, not specifically about testifying. A pleading is simply the formal statement of claims and defenses in a case, not an order to appear. A summons notifies a person to appear to answer a civil action, but it does not by itself compel sworn testimony in court.