Which court action is used to punish a person who ignores a subpoena?

Which court action is used to punish a person who ignores a subpoena?

• A. Contempt of court
• B. Criminal charge
• C. Civil penalty
• D. Ex parte order

Answer: (A)

When someone ignores a subpoena, the court uses contempt of court to enforce compliance. A subpoena orders a person to appear or to produce documents, and willful noncompliance shows a disregard for a court command. Contempt can lead to sanctions such as fines or even jail time until the person agrees to comply or until the contempt is purged, because the goal is to compel adherence to the subpoena and protect the integrity of the judicial process. This is distinct from a criminal charge (a separate offense under criminal law), a civil penalty (typically a monetary fine not tied to coercing future compliance), or an ex parte order (a type of order issued without all parties present).

When someone ignores a subpoena, the court uses contempt of court to enforce compliance. A subpoena orders a person to appear or to produce documents, and willful noncompliance shows a disregard for a court command. Contempt can lead to sanctions such as fines or even jail time until the person agrees to comply or until the contempt is purged, because the goal is to compel adherence to the subpoena and protect the integrity of the judicial process. This is distinct from a criminal charge (a separate offense under criminal law), a civil penalty (typically a monetary fine not tied to coercing future compliance), or an ex parte order (a type of order issued without all parties present).