What do I do if I received a subpoena but I can't go? 39 Answers as of February 17, 2012

Contact the subpoenaing attorney and ask to be released or to accommodate your schedule. If you do not go, the court can and probably will issue an arrest warrant for your failure to obey the subpoena.

You need to call the attorney who sent you the subpoena and explain the situation. Usually the attorney will work with you. If not then you will have to file a Motion To Quash The Subpoena.

Call the lawyers and tell them that. Try to reschedule. If you just don't want to go, put yourself in the parties' shoes. They need your help and just like serving on a jury it is your civic duty and constitutional right to testify about what you witnesses.

Contact the lawyer who subpoenaed you and ask him/her to let you off the hook or alternatively postpone the trial. If you have a good excuse and the lawyer will not relent, get an attorney you know to contact the judge to get the case postponed. Do NOT contact the judge yourself. You might inadvertently say something to make the judge mad, possibly getting held in contempt of court. Get a lawyer to do it for you.

You should call the person who issued the subpoena and explain. You can probably also ask the court for a protective order.

If you were served with a subpoena, you must immediately contact the party that subpoenaed you to make necessary arrangements. Understand that a subpoena is NOT an invitation, it is the Court Ordering you to appear. It is possible to be held in contempt or to have a Writ of Body Attachment and a Bench Warrant issue if you ignore a subpoena.

You may contact the prosecutor and let them know that you would not be able to testify on the given date. They may chose to schedule your deposition for a different date and time and later use your deposition testimony at trial.

You are legally obligated to follow the subpoena. I suggest calling the lawyer or court that issued the subpoena to see if they can reissue it for a more convenient time.

What do you mean you can't go? Suggest you call attorney that sent you the subpoena. See if you can work out the problem. That is a lot easier and cheaper than hiring an attorney to quash the subpoena.

All you need do is contact the attorney that issued the subpoena, the name and phone number is on the subpoena, and ask the attorney to reschedule, it should be no problem at all. If you were not properly served, that is a different question. If you are disabled and cannot travel, they can make arrangements to have the deposition at your location. Don't forget to demand your statutory compensation that you are entitled to under California law.

Call the attorney who issued the subpoena, let them know your conflict, and see if you can move your appearance.

Call the lawyer that issued the subpoena and see what they will do for you.

You are not at liberty to ignore a lawfully issued and served subpoena. You should contact the attorney who had the subpoena issued and make appropriate arrangements. Most attorneys will work hard to accommodate a witness. If that does not work, you should call the judge, explain the situation respectfully, and request reasonable accommodation. If absolutely necessary, you may need to hire an attorney to file an objection to the subpoena and request that the subpoena be quashed. Keep in mind that "I'm busy" or "my boss will be mad if I miss work" or "I have a baby" or "I can't afford to miss a day of work" are not grounds to quash a lawfully issued and served subpoena. If you were hurt in an accident (or wrongfully accused of hurting someone in an accident), you would want witnesses to cooperate. Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Call the lawyer who issued the subpoena. Hopefully, he or she will work with you to reschedule. You can file a motion to quash the subpoena, but most lawyers will work with you and/or write a letter to your employer asking that you be released to attend the deposition/trial etc.

Merely contact the attorney's office that issued the subpoena and re-schedule your appearance for a date and time that is convenient for your schedule.

It depends on why you can't go. If it is a good enough reason, call the attorney who subpoenaed you and ask if you can be excused. If not, file a motion to quash the subpoena (you may need to hire an attorney to do this).

Call the lawyer who sent you the subpoena.

Contact the attorney who issued it and advise him/her of your dilemma.

There is a name at the bottom of the Subpoena of the attorney who served the Subpoena on you. Call him/her right away and explain your situation. They may be able to work out alternate arrangements.

Call the attorney that sent it and tell the attorney you can't make it. Offer to show up on a different date.

Depends on what its for records? to attend a deposition? or to attend trial? If its for records or a deposition, it can probably be changed to accommodate your schedule. If its for trial, they will work with you to an extent, but trials usually take place between 9 am and noon, and then 1:30 to 4:30 pm. Most trial lawyers will work with you to make it fit. But if you have to miss work, the subpoena trumps work and your employer cannot do anything about it and cannot penalize you for complying with a subpoena. So, call the attorney and see what can be worked out.

The best thing to do is to call the office of the attorney who sent you the subpoena right away. Generally, they will work with you on a convenient date to take your deposition since they must feel your testimony will help their client.

Call the attorney who served the subpoena. If you ignore a subpoena, you can be picked up by the sheriff under a body attachment and held until the court releases you.

You send a letter to the attorney who sent you the subpoena, or the police officer, and to the court, explaining why you cannot go. I would suggest you find a way to go. The reason better be a good one or you could be facing contempt of court charges.

Generally you can call whoever served you and reschedule.

Contact the attorney for the party who issued the subpoena for your appearance.

Call the issuing office and tell them that you cant go on the date and time selected. Otherwise you will be causing the Court to sit around and wait for you.

Call the clerk of the court and give your excuse. It needs to be very good.

Call whoever subpoenaed you and explain your situation. They may be willing to have you testify at a time and place convenient for you. If not, unfortunately, you better go. Most attorney's will work with you on things like this. Also, they may be willing to videotape your testimony (if this is for trial) to be played to the jury later. You've got options, be nice and they will work with you.