D.C. Super. Ct. Juv. R. 17

(a) For attendance of witnesses; form; issuance. A subpoena shall be issued by the Clerk

under the seal of the Court. It shall state the name of the Court and the title, if any, of the

proceeding, and shall command each person to whom it is directed to attend and give

testimony at the time and place specified therein. The Clerk shall issue a subpoena,

signed and sealed but otherwise in blank to a party requesting it, who shall fill in the blanks

before it is served.

(b) Respondents unable to pay.

(1) For respondents represented either by counsel appointed under the District of

Columbia Criminal Justice Act, by staff attorneys of the Public Defender Service, or by law

students admitted to the limited practice of law under SCR-General Family M, an

application may be made to the Clerk for witness subpoenas where the witness involved

will be served within 25 miles of the place of the factfinding or other hearing specified in

the subpoena. The Clerk shall issue such subpoenas to said defense counsel in blank,

signed and sealed and designated in forma pauperis, but not otherwise filled in. No

subpoena so issued in blank may be served outside a radius of 25 miles from the place of

the factfinding or other hearing specified in the subpoena. The filling in by such defense

counsel of a subpoena issued in blank shall constitute a certificate by said defense

counsel that, in the defense counsel's opinion, the presence of the witness is necessary to

an adequate defense. In the case of a respondent represented by a law student, the

application shall be signed by the law student's supervising lawyer. Where the witness to

be subpoenaed will be served outside a radius of 25 miles from the place of the factfinding

or other hearing specified in the subpoena, an application for the issuance of such

subpoena shall be made to the Judge-in-Chambers and shall follow the procedure

required by subsection (b)(2) of this Rule.

(2) For respondents represented by counsel other than those counsel listed in

subsection (b)(1) of this Rule, the Court shall order at any time that a subpoena be issued

for service on a named witness upon an ex parte application of a respondent upon a

satisfactory showing that the respondent is financially unable to pay the fees of the witness

and that the presence of the witness is necessary to an adequate defense.

(3) If the Court orders the subpoena to be issued pursuant to subsection (b)(2) of this

Rule or if the Clerk issues a subpoena pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of this Rule, the costs

incurred by the process and the fees of the witness so subpoenaed shall be paid in the

same manner in which similar costs and fees are paid in case of a witness subpoenaed in

behalf of the prosecuting authority.

(c) For production of documentary evidence and of objects. A subpoena may also

command the person to whom it is directed to produce the books, papers, documents or

other objects designated therein. The Family Court on motion made promptly may quash

or modify the subpoena if compliance would be unreasonable or oppressive. The Court

may direct that books, papers, documents or objects designated in the subpoena be

produced before the Court at a time prior to the trial or prior to the time when they are to be

offered in evidence and may upon their production permit the books, papers, documents or

objects or portions thereof to be inspected by the parties and their attorneys.

(d) Service. A subpoena may be served by the Marshal, by a deputy marshal or by any

other person who is not a party and who is not less than 18 years old. Service of a

subpoena shall be made by delivering a copy thereof to the person named and by

tendering to that person the fee for one day's attendance and the mileage allowed by law.

Fees and mileage need not be tendered to the witness upon service of a subpoena issued

in behalf of the prosecuting authority or in behalf of defendants unable to pay.

(e) Place of service.

(1) In general. A subpoena requiring the attendance of a witness at a hearing or trial

may be served at any place within the District of Columbia or at any place outside the

District of Columbia that is within 25 miles of the place of the hearing or trial specified in

the subpoena.

(2) Exception. A subpoena directed to a witness in a case in which a felony is charged

may be served at any place within the United States upon order of a judge of the Court.

(f) For taking deposition; place of examination.

(1) Issuance. A commission to take a deposition authorizes the issuance by the Clerk

of the Superior Court of subpoenas for the persons named or described therein.

(2) Place. The witness whose deposition is to be taken may be required by subpoena

to attend at any place designated by the trial court, taking into account the convenience of

the witness and the parties.

(g) Contempt. Failure by any person without adequate excuse to obey a subpoena

served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the Court.