subpoena Law [ sə'pi:nə ]
■ noun a writ ordering a person to attend a court.
■ verb ( subpoenas , subpoenaing , subpoenaed or subpoena'd ) summon with a subpoena.
↘require (a document or other evidence) to be submitted to a court.
Origin
ME: from L. sub poena 'under penalty' (the first words of the writ).