Rule 17 Subpoena
Rule Text
(a) Content. A subpoena must state the court’s name and the title of the proceedings, include the seal of the court, and command the witness to attend and testify at the time and place the subpoena specifies. The clerk of court must issue a subpoena, signed but otherwise in blank, to a party who requests it. That party must complete it before service. An attorney also may issue and sign a subpoena if the attorney is authorized to practice in the Virgin Islands.
(b) Defendant Unable to Pay. Upon a defendant's ex parte application, the court must order that a subpoena be issued for a named witness if the defendant shows an inability to pay the witness's fees and the necessity of the witness's presence for an adequate defense. If the court orders a subpoena to be issued, the process costs and witness fees will be paid in the same manner as those paid for witnesses the government subpoenas.
(c) Producing Documents and Objects.
(1) In General. A subpoena may order the witness to produce any books, papers, documents, data, or other objects the subpoena designates. The court may direct the witness to produce the designated items in court before trial or before they are offered in evidence. When the items arrive, the court may permit the parties and their attorneys to inspect all or part of them.
(2) Quashing or Modifying the Subpoena. On motion made promptly, the court may quash or modify the subpoena if compliance would be unreasonable or oppressive.
(3) Subpoena for Personal or Confidential Information About a Victim. After an information is filed, a subpoena requiring the production of personal or confidential information about a victim may be served on a third party only by court order. Before entering the order and unless there are exceptional circumstances, the court must require giving notice to the victim so that the victim can move to quash or modify the subpoena or otherwise object.
(d) Service. A Virgin Islands Marshal, a deputy marshal, or any person not a party to the action who is at least 18 years old may serve a subpoena. The server must deliver a copy of the subpoena to the witness and must tender to the witness one day’s witness-attendance fee and the legal mileage allowance. The server need not tender the attendance fee or mileage allowance when the prosecuting authority or a defendant unable to pay has requested the subpoena.
(e) Place of Service. A subpoena requiring a witness to attend a hearing or trial may be served at any place within the Virgin Islands or at any place outside of the Virgin Islands where the standards of 5 V.I.C. § 3863 are met.
(f) Issuing a Deposition Subpoena.
(1) Issuance. A court order to take a deposition authorizes the clerk of the Superior Court to issue a subpoena for the person named or described in the order.
(2) Place. After considering the convenience of the witness and the parties, the court may order—and the subpoena may require—the witness to appear anywhere the court designates.
(g) Contempt. Failure by any person without adequate excuse to obey a subpoena served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the court.
(h) Information Not Subject to a Subpoena. No party may subpoena a statement of a witness or of a prospective witness under this rule. Rule 26.2 governs the production of the statement.
Effective December 1, 2017 (Promulgation Order 2017-010)