Legal Question in Criminal Law in Michigan

Re: Will not appearing effect me?

I disagree with the first attorney's answer.

You said that you honored the subpoena you got (which said, for example, to be at the courthouse on 05/01/2009 @ 9:00 am ... and you were there), but that you were not given a new subpoena for the new date (e.g., 05/06/09 @ 9:00 am) and therefore did not show up.

Unless you were provided notice that the first subpoena was ordered by the judge to be "continued to 05/06/09 @ 9:00 am" (in my example), then you are NOT in contempt of court. The judge can order that a subpoena is continued, and I always try to have that happen to save my office and police the work of re-doing / re-serving subpoenas. But, it only works in my experience with witnesses who were in the courtroom to hear the judge tell them to come back on 05/06/09 @ 9:am. If that happens, then the subpoena is continued and the person has been ordered to re-appear and risks contempt of court if they do not appear. All other witnesses need to be re-subpoenaed.

So, unless the judge continued your subpoena and you were informed of that fact, you are not in trouble in myopinion. The fault lays with the party who did not re-subpoena you.

Re: Will not appearing effect me?

The judge won't personally come after you, but a police officer will.

Read ALL the words on your subpoena.