Rule 3.10 Issuance of Subpoenas to Lawyers

If a prosecutor or government lawyer wants to subpoena an attorney to testify before a grand jury or similar body about a client the attorney represents or used to represent, they can't just do it on their own. They must first get a judge to approve the subpoena.

This rule exists to protect the relationship between lawyers and their clients. Without this kind of check, prosecutors could try to use an attorney's own knowledge against their client, which could damage trust between lawyers and the people they represent. Requiring a judge's sign-off adds a layer of protection before this happens.

In short, this rule makes sure a neutral judge reviews the situation before a lawyer can be forced to testify about a client. It helps prevent prosecutors from misusing subpoenas to get around attorney-client confidentiality.