These instructions are to help you apply for a subpoena if you are a self-represented party. Court procedures can be confusing. This guide will give you useful information and the necessary forms to complete in order to request a subpoena.

Every case is different and these instructions are to be used as a guide only; if you think you need more help you may want to get an attorney. You can also go to a Court Service Center or contact the Connecticut Network for Legal Aid or find additional information at the Law Libraries. Court Staff can help you understand the legal process, and while they may give you procedural information, they cannot give you legal advice.

The Application for Issuance of Subpoena must be filled out for each person that you would like to be subpoenaed. You must say why you want to have the person ordered to come to court to testify and for what type of case. You can only apply for a subpoena for a pending case. You must also list any documents or other information that you want the person subpoenaed to bring to court. On the actual Subpoena form you also have to fill in the name of the person you would like subpoenaed, the documents or other information that you want them to bring to court, and the date and time you want them to come to court. Depending on how a judge rules on your application, the clerk will fill out the rest of the subpoena.

Once you have filled out the 2 forms, you must take them to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office. The clerk will bring the paperwork to a judge and you will be told how the paperwork will be returned to you. After you have gotten the paperwork back, you have to have the subpoena delivered to, or served on the person by a State Marshal. The Clerk’s Office or the Court Service Center can give you a list of State Marshals. The State Marshal will charge you a fee for delivering the subpoena. If you do not think you can afford to pay the fee, you may ask the court to pay the fee for you. The form you must use to ask the court to pay the fee for you is the Application for Waiver of Fees (JD-CV-120). You must bring this form to the Clerk's Office at the same time you bring your Application for Issuance of Subpoena and Subpoena/Civil forms to the Clerk’s Office. Do not sign the Application for Waiver of Fees form until you are in front of a court clerk or a notary public.