Aurora, Littleton and Arapahoe County Subpoenas and Subpoena Duces Tecum
In every criminal case in the Arapahoe County cities of Aurora and Littleton, the defense is permitted to issue subpoenas to witnesses to come and testify in court. This Subpoena can be a normal one commanding the person to come to court and testify, or it can be a Subpoena Duces Tecum requiring them to bring something. Let’s talk about the difference between these two types of subpoenas and challenges associated with each of them.
Denver Subpoena for a Witness – An Attorney’s Tool
Getting someone to come to court in Denver and testify is not that difficult, if you can locate them. The law permits people accused of a crime to get subpoenas to require them to come to court and answer your questions in front of a judge or jury. The difficult part is predicting whether their answers will help or hurt you more. When someone is mad about being forced to come to court, they can easily sink your defense and your case. So, try and have an investigator interview them first, to avoid surprises. Also, I recommend that you always try and get witnesses to come voluntarily to court. They will not be so upset with the abrupt disruption to their life with a polite request first.
Subpoena Duces Tecum in Douglas County and Parker – How a Lawyer Gets Documents or Evidence to Court
While a regular witness subpoena brings a person to court, a Parker and Douglas County Subpoena Duces Tecum requires them to come to court and bring documents or other evidence with them. Imagine someone who has a copy of a letter where an alleged victim admits to a friend that she hit you first. The friend does not want to bring the letter to help you, so they hang up when your investigator asks them to produce the document. In Castle Rock, your criminal defense attorney can serve them with a Subpoena Duces Tecum which requires the person to come to testify AND to bring the letter with them to court. Witnesses can be required to bring documents, pictures, physical items and other evidence. I once subpoenaed a lawn mower to court.
Subpoena Tips in Adams County and Brighton, Colorado
As I mentioned above, it is always best to get the witness you want to voluntarily accept the Subpoena or Subpoena Duces Tecum. This is called a waiver of service. Angry people you force to come to court to testify or bring evidence are more likely to be upset and lie to hurt you. Next, consider that in every case, the person may not be prepared to say what you want them to say. In many instances, they are more loyal to the other side and will lie to help them. Many defendants are surprised that a witness ends up being more helpful to the prosecutor in proving you guilty. You must know exactly what they are going to say and evaluate the value and potential negative cost to your defense in having them there. Many times, the person is an honest witness who simply saw things differently than you did. So, always have your lawyer or an investigator talk to them first.
Costs of a Subpoena in Golden, Lakewood and Jefferson County, Colorado Courts
The biggest cost in getting a subpoena served and a witness to the Jefferson County Court is the process server who delivers the subpoena. The fee can range from as little as $40 to ask high as $100. The price varies based on how many attempts are needed to serve the person, how quickly you need to have the person served and how far the process server needs to travel to serve the person. In some cases, you can get a witness to provide you with documents or other evidence essential to your Golden and Lakewood criminal case. So, consider the potential value of any subpoena vs. its cost.
Our criminal defense attorneys are experienced and loyal to you. We love proving your innocence. We know how to use a subpoena and Subpoena Duces Tecum to protect you. Call us today at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.
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