I need some learnin about law

Platapus · 09-17-08, 07:42 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/...ion/index.html

"Aides to Gov. Sarah Palin won't comply with subpoenas issued by state lawmakers investigating the firing of Alaska's former public safety commissioner because Palin "has declined to participate" in the probe, her attorney general says.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subpoena

"A subpoena is commonly defined as a written command to a person to testify before a court or be punished.

More accurately, a subpoena is the conditional threat of punishment made by a governmental authority. It is attached to a command, so that if the recipient does not do as commanded then he may be punished. Subpoenas are associated with common law legal systems."

We got any lawyer types here who can explain to me (in small words) how people can just blow off a subpoena and not automatically get hit with the contempt punishment?

I always thought that Subpoenas were either show up or you go to jail type of thing?

Can someone here learn me a few things about Subpoenas, as evidently I have the wrong impression of them?

09-17-08, 07:42 PM	#1
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,360 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I need some learnin about law http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/...ion/index.html "Aides to Gov. Sarah Palin won't comply with subpoenas issued by state lawmakers investigating the firing of Alaska's former public safety commissioner because Palin "has declined to participate" in the probe, her attorney general says.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subpoena "A subpoena is commonly defined as a written command to a person to testify before a court or be punished. More accurately, a subpoena is the conditional threat of punishment made by a governmental authority. It is attached to a command, so that if the recipient does not do as commanded then he may be punished. Subpoenas are associated with common law legal systems." We got any lawyer types here who can explain to me (in small words) how people can just blow off a subpoena and not automatically get hit with the contempt punishment? I always thought that Subpoenas were either show up or you go to jail type of thing? Can someone here learn me a few things about Subpoenas, as evidently I have the wrong impression of them? __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.