Which of the following best describes a subpoena?

• A. A court order requiring attendance of a person to give testimony.
• B. A request to produce documents only
• C. A notice of a hearing
• D. A warrant to search

Answer: (A)

A subpoena is a formal court order that compels a person to appear and provide testimony in a legal proceeding. This captures the most common and central purpose of a subpoena, which is to require attendance to testify. There are related instruments, like subpoenas that require the production of documents, but those are specific types of subpoenas focused on documents rather than just attendance. A notice of a hearing isn’t a subpoena, it merely informs about a scheduled proceeding, and a warrant to search is a different kind of order used to authorize searches. So the best description is a court order requiring attendance to give testimony.