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Legal concept

Subpoena

A legal document requiring a person to appear and testify in court.

What Right Law Group attorneys say

Generally, though, in a domestic violence case, someone can be subpoenaed to testify against their spouse, marital privilege does not apply in a domestic violence case, because you are the named victim in the case you are the one against whom the crime is alleged to have been perpetrated.
Alexis Austin Litle · How Do I Know Whether I Am Subpoenaed To Testify Against My Spouse In A DV Case? // Right Law GroupWatch clip ↗
An actual subpoena that can force you to go into court is a personally served subpoena. So in order for you to be forced to go to court, you have to be personally served with a document by someone that says this is the court date, this is where you're being served to go you have to sign it, they have to send you have to be personally served. Now, technically, you don't have to sign it, they can hand it to you and they can write that you are handed it.
Alexis Austin Litle · How Do I Know Whether I Am Subpoenaed To Testify Against My Spouse In A DV Case? // Right Law GroupWatch clip ↗
But basically, a human has to personally serve you in order for you to legally be required to go to court. What often happens is especially in El Paso County, we have such a large jurisdiction, that the DHS office will send out these subpoena waiver postcards or subpoena waiver letters. It gets a little tricky though, because when people get these letters, and they read them, they see the highlighted portion that says you are required to appear at court and they freak out thinking oh my gosh, I'm gonna get a warrant if I don't go to court.
Alexis Austin Litle · How Do I Know Whether I Am Subpoenaed To Testify Against My Spouse In A DV Case? // Right Law GroupWatch clip ↗
If the state sends you a waiver of subpoena service, and you see the fine print that says sign and return to waive subpoena service. Basically, what you're doing is self serving the subpoena on you
Alexis Austin Litle · How Do I Know Whether I Am Subpoenaed To Testify Against My Spouse In A DV Case? // Right Law GroupWatch clip ↗
Now, if you get a subpoena, a lot of confusion comes up in these cases, because there's a difference in actually being subpoenaed or being asked to waive subpoena service.
Alexis Austin Litle · How Do I Know Whether I Am Subpoenaed To Testify Against My Spouse In A DV Case? // Right Law GroupWatch clip ↗

Frequently asked questions

Can I be subpoenaed to testify against my spouse in a domestic violence case, or does marital privilege protect me?

Alexis explains: "Generally, though, in a domestic violence case, someone can be subpoenaed to testify against their spouse, marital privilege does not apply in a domestic violence case, because you are the named victim in the case you are the one against whom the crime is alleged to have been perpetrated."

Answered by Alexis Austin Litle · Watch clip
Do those subpoena waiver postcards actually require me to appear in court?

Alexis explains: "But basically, a human has to personally serve you in order for you to legally be required to go to court. What often happens is especially in El Paso County, we have such a large jurisdiction, that the DHS office will send out these subpoena waiver postcards or subpoena waiver letters. It gets a little tricky though, because when people get these letters, and they read them, they see the highlighted portion that says you are required to appear at court and they freak out thinking oh my gosh, I'm gonna get a warrant if I don't go to court."

Answered by Alexis Austin Litle · Watch clip
How could digital evidence impact my criminal defense case in Colorado?

Right Law Group's guide explains: "You might not have given much thought to how technology could impact your criminal defense case. But let’s be real, in today’s world, digital evidence is everywhere, and it could make or break your case."

Source · Read guide
I was just arrested in Colorado. What should I expect from the criminal justice process and should I go through it alone?

Right Law Group's guide explains: "What To Expect From The Criminal Justice Process // Surviving Arrest What To Expect From The Criminal Justice Process Colorado’s criminal justice process isn’t one that you’ll want to go through alone."

Source · Read guide
What am I really doing if I sign and return the state's waiver of subpoena service?

Alexis explains: "If the state sends you a waiver of subpoena service, and you see the fine print that says sign and return to waive subpoena service. Basically, what you're doing is self serving the subpoena on you"

Answered by Alexis Austin Litle · Watch clip
What makes a subpoena legally force me to appear in court?

Alexis explains: "An actual subpoena that can force you to go into court is a personally served subpoena. So in order for you to be forced to go to court, you have to be personally served with a document by someone that says this is the court date, this is where you're being served to go you have to sign it, they have to send you have to be personally served. Now, technically, you don't have to sign it, they can hand it to you and they can write that you are handed it."

Answered by Alexis Austin Litle · Watch clip
What's the difference between actually being subpoenaed and being asked to waive subpoena service?

Alexis explains: "Now, if you get a subpoena, a lot of confusion comes up in these cases, because there's a difference in actually being subpoenaed or being asked to waive subpoena service."

Answered by Alexis Austin Litle · Watch clip

Each answer links directly to the source where a Right Law Group attorney addressed this question.

7 answers grounded in Right Law Group sources

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What clients say

The situation

Got into a DV case because of an ex I let back in the home and made my life very hard

What changed

he fought hard for me

The result

they dismissed the whole case

Jacob D. Gannon Becker★★★★★Google verified
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What changed

their belief of my side and story and their knowledge in the legal system they were able to get my case dismissed

The result

get my case dismissed

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