PAGE 01 BARTIER PERRY LAWYERS - EMPOWERING INSIGHT WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET A SUBPOENA Received a subpoena and not sure what you have to do next? Can you ignore it? Can you claim the cost of answering it? In this e-book we provide a four part series on responding to subpoenas, including: - Producing documents in answer to a subpoena - Protecting sensitive information - Making a claim for legal privilege. - Protecting commercially sensitive information through confidentiality regimes. - Protection of information under standard court practice. - What your rights are after you’ve produced documents What is a subpoena? A subpoena is an order made by a court at the request of a party to a court case that requires the recipient to either produce documents, attend court to give evidence, or both. The most common subpoena is for the production of documents. A subpoena for the production of documents will specify: - The categories of documents sought. - The date by which the subpoena had to be served on you. - The date by which the documents have to be produced. - The date on which the proceedings are listed in the court so that the court can check whether documents have been produced and make orders for access to the documents by the parties. As a subpoena is a court order, failing to respond to a subpoena without lawful excuse is a contempt of court. There may be civil or criminal penalties.