Federal · Title 5 — Government Organization and Employees

5 U.S.C. § 304: Subpenas

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute permits heads of executive or military departments to request court subpenas for witnesses in pending claims against the United States. Courts may enforce witness compliance or punish disobedience through established judicial procedures.

Read the full statutory text

The head of an Executive department or military department or bureau thereof in which a claim against the United States is pending may apply to a judge or clerk of a court of the United States to issue a subpena for a witness within the jurisdiction of the court to appear at a time and place stated in the subpena before an individual authorized to take depositions to be used in the courts of the United States, to give full and true answers to such written interrogatories and cross-interrogatories as may be submitted with the application, or to be orally examined and cross-examined on the subject of the claim. If a witness, after being served with a subpena, neglects or refuses to appear, or, appearing, refuses to testify, the judge of the district in which the subpena issued may proceed, on proper process, to enforce obedience to the subpena, or to punish for disobedience, in the same manner as a court of the United States may in case of process of subpena ad testificandum issued by the court.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.