NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FEDERAL LAWYERS
Does a subpoena mean you are in trouble?
|Last Updated on: 6th October 2025, 12:53 am
Does a Subpoena Mean You Are in Trouble?
You might feel the government circling, surrounding you, coming at you, you when you receive a subpoena – they try to bully you because prosecutors want to score political points and advance their career. A subpoena from the government compels your presence or production of records under Rule 17 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and ignoring it can trigger contempt under 28 U.S.C. § 1826.
Look, I’m Todd Spodek, and our team at Spodek Law Group knows how federal litigators overwhelm regular people. I’m a second-generation lawyer who’s faced down Prosecutor who steamroll unrepresented folks. We have a digital client portal so you can track motions, check deadlines, and keep calm. My media background – including that 2022 Netflix series about Anna Delvey – shows how we defend aggressively. We handle tough cases that everyone else turns around – and we get amazing outcomes for our clients.
If you have received a subpoena, we want to speak to you. We can help you understand what it means, what the government wants from you – and what you need to be thinking about when you finally decide to respond to the subpoena. Many people think they can just ignore the subpoena and it’ll go away – this is false.
What a Subpoena Really Means for You
A subpoena is not an automatic indictment – but the government wants you to believe you’re guilty so you cave in and give up evidence. Prosecutors chase convictions under United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974), which confirmed how subpoenas can pry into almost anything.
Our team at Spodek Law Group sees these plays in both state and federal courts. We file motions under E.D.N.Y. Local Rule 12 as soon as possible. We keep phone lines open so you reach us day or night – we do that because we know you panic about deadlines. And honestly? You should be concerned. These aren’t parking tickets. We follow a white glove approach to preserve your sanity, and our digital portal ensures you see every filing with zero delay. Unlike other law firms that keep you in the dark – we believe transparency reduces anxiety.
Why Ignoring a Subpoena Can Backfire – Big Time
Ignoring a subpoena invites contempt proceedings under U.S. v. R. Enterprises, Inc., 498 U.S. 292 (1991), and the penalty for contempt can include fines up to $100,000 or jail time up to 18 months under current federal guidelines.
Prosecutors exploit noncompliance to argue you have something to hide – they feed that narrative to the judge. And trust me, judges eat it up.
I stand ready to block that overreach by filing a motion to quash under Fed. R. Crim. P. 17(c)(2) if the subpoena demands irrelevant or privileged info. We push back with legal precedent and highlight your rights, so the judge sees you’re not a pushover.
Spodek Law Group is nationwide with offices in NYC and Los Angeles – we appear in federal courts across the country. We also offer a robust evidentiary review process that I personally spearhead, so your defense doesn’t crack under the government’s pressure.
Different Defense Strategies – Because Every Case Is Different
Some clients get subpoenas as mere witnesses, but the government tries to trap them in contradictory testimony. Here’s how we handle different scenarios:
If you’re just a witness: I demand advanced disclosure of the subject matter, under 18 U.S.C. § 6002, to see if immunity applies. The government hates this because it limits their ability to flip you later.
If you’re the actual target: We request a protective order to stop broad fishing expeditions. They want everything? They’ll have to fight for every document.
If documents are involved: We can advise you to produce only partial documents if certain items are privileged – but we confirm that approach won’t backfire. One wrong move here, and you’re facing obstruction charges.
The firm’s “white glove” standard ensures we handle these nuances personally. I call you day or night if there’s a twist – you never feel lost. Because when the FBI is breathing down your neck, you need someone who actually answers the phone.
Procedural Steps and Deadlines – Miss These and You’re Done
Federal subpoenas often come with a return date that forces you to comply or object fast. We typically file initial objections within 14 days under Rule 45 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (similar logic applies in criminal cases with adjusted deadlines) – so the court sees we don’t roll over.
I monitor these deadlines using our digital portal – you or your authorized family can log in and see updates. When the government tries to rush a hearing, we push for continuances if needed to protect your rights.
Our firm takes every legal angle seriously. We fight for evidence suppression if the government overreaches. And they overreach constantly – it’s like they think the Constitution is a suggestion.
Building Your Defense With Real Precedents
We rely on cases like Gelbard v. United States, 407 U.S. 514 (1972), which limited subpoenas that infringe on protected communications. I cite these precedents to show how prosecutors ignore the truth for personal gain – exposing their political motives.
We move to suppress illegally obtained evidence when the government crosses the line. We challenge the scope of the subpoena if they demand everything under the sun. We orchestrate depositions or affidavits to reveal flaws in the government’s case – calling out sloppy investigations.
You see my commitment to you in how I invest time personally. I don’t delegate everything to an assistant like those mill law firms. When you hire Spodek Law Group, you get me – Todd Spodek – not some junior associate who graduated last week.
Your Next Steps – Don’t Wait
Your biggest step is not to shrug off that subpoena – it’s to call us NOW because every day of delay helps the government build momentum. They’re not waiting. They’re building their case while you’re googling “what does a subpoena mean.”
Our entire Spodek Law Group tailors defenses to your subpoena. I’ve fought subpoenas in high-profile matters, including coverage on Fox 5 New York, NY Post, USA Today. Remember the Anna Delvey case that became a Netflix series? Complex federal investigations, subpoenas flying everywhere – we handled all of it.
We start by clarifying what the government wants, then we weigh motions to quash, protective orders, or immediate negotiations. If you decide to speak to investigators, my presence ensures your story isn’t distorted.
We keep you connected through our digital portal – you see the entire file in real time. That transparency offsets your fear. Because fear is what the government counts on. They want you scared, confused, making mistakes.
The Reality Check You Need
Here’s what most attorneys won’t tell you: a subpoena doesn’t mean you’re in trouble – yet. But it means the government is looking at something involving you. Maybe you’re a witness. Maybe you’re a target. Maybe they’re fishing and hoping you’ll panic.
The difference between walking away clean and ending up indicted often comes down to how you handle the subpoena. One wrong move – ignoring it, lying to investigators, destroying documents – and you’ve turned a simple inquiry into a federal case.
At Spodek Law Group, we’ve seen prosecutors turn witnesses into defendants because they handled subpoenas wrong. Don’t be that person.