ChatterBank1 min ago
My brother in law works for a gas station that was recently robbed... A lawyer has contacted him to testify in court, but my bro in law is afraid to go. By law does he have to testify?
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Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by nimrose. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Your use of the term 'gas station' (and the time of your post) suggests that you're probably in the USA. This site is based in the UK, where our laws are very different to those of the US. So you're unlikely to find anyone who can answer your question here.
I suggest that you post again, on a US website, such as one of these:
http://www.answerbag.com/
or
http://answers.yahoo.com/
(It might also help if you say which state your brother-in-law is in, as state laws - rather than federal ones - might apply).
In the UK a witness would only be obliged to attend a court (and to testify) if a witness summons was issued by a court. The USA refers to our 'witness summons' as a subpoena. I suspect that a similar situation will apply. (i.e. your brother-in-law can't be directly compelled to attend by a lawyer but can be compelled by a court order). However contributors to the US sites, referred to above, should be able to provide you with a definitive answer.
Chris
I suggest that you post again, on a US website, such as one of these:
http://www.answerbag.com/
or
http://answers.yahoo.com/
(It might also help if you say which state your brother-in-law is in, as state laws - rather than federal ones - might apply).
In the UK a witness would only be obliged to attend a court (and to testify) if a witness summons was issued by a court. The USA refers to our 'witness summons' as a subpoena. I suspect that a similar situation will apply. (i.e. your brother-in-law can't be directly compelled to attend by a lawyer but can be compelled by a court order). However contributors to the US sites, referred to above, should be able to provide you with a definitive answer.
Chris
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