Ordered by law to appear in court or to produce evidence or documents.
From Latin 'sub poena' meaning 'under penalty.' The phrase became one word in English legal terminology, referring to a court order backed by legal authority.
The original Latin 'sub poena' literally means 'under penalty'—breaking a subpoena can get you held in contempt of court, so it's one of the few everyday words with actual legal teeth!
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