What is a Subpoena
A subpoena is a legal document issued by the Court, at the request of a party involved in court proceedings which involves requiring the subpoenaed party to either produce documents or give evidence at a hearing.
Subpoenas in the Family Court
In family law matters, proceedings can be held either in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia or the Family Court of Australia. During these proceedings, it may be necessary for a party to issue a subpoena for relevant information to be provided in Court. Ordinarily, it may be necessary to issue more than one subpoena in Court proceedings.
Subpoenas are generally issued when one party fails to provide all of the necessary documents to the court. Subpoenas are often issued to banks or superannuation funds for purposes of seeking production of financial material related to the other party. In parenting matters, an Independent Children’s Lawyer, a lawyer who acts for the children in parenting matters, will often issue subpoenas. This may be to the children’s schools and doctor if health issues have been raised. They may also issue a subpoena to either parent’s doctor, if necessary.
Filing for a Subpoena
In some proceedings, you must seek the court’s approval before issuing a subpoena. This is especially relevant when there are court orders in place or there are less than seven days before a hearing commences. In the Federal Circuit Court, there is a capping of no more than five subpoenas to be issued by each party, unless permission is granted by the Court. There is no restrictions imposed in the Family Court for subpoenas.
If you gain the court’s approval, the filing of the subpoena can proceed as normal. The original subpoena must be filed at the Federal Circuit Court or Family Court registry (depending which jurisdiction the matter is in). You must also file enough copies for one to be served on each party in the proceeding as well as the person or organisation being asked to produce material.
Importantly, the court can refuse the issuance of a subpoena if it finds that the subpoena amounts to a ‘fishing expedition’. That is, the deliberate attempt by one party to search or investigate with the hope of discovering information on the other party. Therefore it is important that when issuing subpoenas in family law, one must ensure that they are seeking information or documentation relevant to the current court proceedings.
Filing fee
A subpoena will incur a filing fee of $55.00 per subpoena.
Serving a Subpoena
Once the subpoena has been filed, it must be personally delivered (served by hand) to the person it is addressed to.
If you are serving a subpoena to a bank or financial institution, a small amount of money must be provided to the subpoenaed party. This is known as ‘conduct money’ for the production of documents. Some banks will charge a set amount, so it is important to find out what the production of documents may cost where possible. You also need to provide a copy of the court’s brochure with the subpoena.
Objecting to a Subpoena
A party is entitled to raise an objection to the issuance of a subpoena. A number of objections which can be raised involve:
- The documents requested are irrelevant
- The documents are privileged
- The terms of the subpoena are vague or non-specific
- Insufficient time given to comply with the subpoena
- Subpoena issued without a ‘legitimate forensic purpose’
- Insufficient conduct money
In order to do so, you have to file a Notice of Objection and the matter will subsequently be listed before the court for determination.
Contact us
If you would like more information on how we can assist you with your family law matter, do not hesitate to contact us on 9963 9800 or via the contact form here.