Here's what a subpoena is — and what happens if you ignore one

Subpoenas have been at the center of some of the highest profile inquiries in Washington and beyond – including the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot and the New York attorney general’s office’s efforts to compel testimony from members of the Trump family.

But what is a subpoena? And what recourse do people have if they received one?

Here’s what you need to know:

What is a subpoena?

A subpoena is an order to compel someone to give testimony about something in a legal setting, usually before a court, but sometimes in other settings like a congressional inquiry. It can