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Subpoena

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ppr

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

Hello

I live in Florida and I was served with a subpoena and was asked to produce some documents, related to a civil defamation lawsuit in which I am not a party. One of the documents I was asked to produce is my recent tax returns. I did not find them anywhere. What will be the consequences if I do not produce them.

Best
Seren
 


tranquility

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

Hello

I live in Florida and I was served with a subpoena and was asked to produce some documents, related to a civil defamation lawsuit in which I am not a party. One of the documents I was asked to produce is my recent tax returns. I did not find them anywhere. What will be the consequences if I do not produce them.

Best
Seren
You could be found in contempt of court.

But, why? Why do they want YOUR tax returns? The burden on a third party tax return is fairly high due to the fact they are almost privileged. It seems like you could get the subpoena quashed absent odd circumstances.
 

ppr

Junior Member
Thank you but I have no time and interest.

I appreciate if I know the consequences of not producing them.
 

quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

Hello

I live in Florida and I was served with a subpoena and was asked to produce some documents, related to a civil defamation lawsuit in which I am not a party. One of the documents I was asked to produce is my recent tax returns. I did not find them anywhere. What will be the consequences if I do not produce them.

Best
Seren
What will be the consequences if you do not produce items requested for discovery? It depends. If the request is overly broad or not relevant or a privacy invasion, perhaps nothing, if you move to quash the subpoena.

Why, if you are not a party to the case, are your tax returns being requested?

Have you consulted with an attorney in your area? You probably should.


(yes, what tranquility said - he was faster than I in responding)
 
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ppr

Junior Member
Thank you and appreciate!

The person involved in the lawsuit is my friend and I do not know why I was asked to produce my tax returns: a surprise to me!

What if the party served the subpoena (plaintiff) claims that I am lying (that is, if they claim that I am hiding my tax returns)

How my friend (Defendant in the lawsuit) will be effected if the Plaintiff claims that I am lying.

Can the Plaintiff go to IRS and get my tax returns (I am not willing to sign any form permitting the Plaintiffs to get those details from IRS)

Can the court instruct me to sign a form permitting the Plaintiffs to get my tax returns from IRS.

Please answer my queries
 

quincy

Senior Member
Thank you and appreciate!

The person involved in the lawsuit is my friend and I do not know why I was asked to produce my tax returns: a surprise to me!

What if the party served the subpoena (plaintiff) claims that I am lying (that is, if they claim that I am hiding my tax returns)

How my friend (Defendant in the lawsuit) will be effected if the Plaintiff claims that I am lying.

Can the Plaintiff go to IRS and get my tax returns (I am not willing to sign any form permitting the Plaintiffs to get those details from IRS)

Can the court instruct me to sign a form permitting the Plaintiffs to get my tax returns from IRS.

Please answer my queries
What is your relationship to this friend? That could help explain why the tax returns are being requested - although I am surprised that you have no idea why your tax returns are important to your friend's lawsuit.

You will want to quash the subpoena because the fact is that you CAN get copies of your tax returns, so you would be able to produce them. Saying you can't find them is not a legitimate excuse, in other words.

You can be ordered by the court to produce your tax returns. A court may or may not issue such an order, however. Again, it depends on the facts. Income tax returns are generally not held to be privileged, but there are privacy interests that can come into play. It will be up to the plaintiff to show the court the need for the returns and it will be up to the court to exercise their judgment in ordering their production.

I suggest, since you seem involved in this case to an extent beyond mere witness, that you consult with an attorney in your area. You do not want to be found in contempt, even if your friend is a really good friend.

Good luck.
 
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ppr

Junior Member
Thanks for all the responses and I appreciate.

My friend (Defendant) is also my brother. Still, how or why I am responsible for submitting the tax returns? The plaintiffs can ask my brother to submit them.
 

quincy

Senior Member
hmm....

my friend....

My bet is this is a live-in, significant-other, friend.

DC
It would help to know what sort of defamatory statements were communicated that would necessitate the production of the tax returns of the friend/brother not involved in the lawsuit, though (although if I think long enough, I guess I could come up with a few).
 
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quincy

Senior Member
Thanks for all the responses and I appreciate.

My friend (Defendant) is also my brother. Still, how or why I am responsible for submitting the tax returns? The plaintiffs can ask my brother to submit them.
That, ppr, is the question. :)

You should probably consult with an attorney to get a better idea of what is going on.
 

tranquility

Senior Member
I agree with the others. But, since the OP is either uninformed or being overly cautious, there is little that can be done here but refer him to an attorney.
http://www.floridabar.org/TFB/TFBResources.nsf/0/10C69DF6FF15185085256B29004BF823/$FILE/Civil.pdf?OpenElement
(c) For Production of Documentary Evidence. A subpoena may also
command the person to whom it is directed to produce the books, papers,
documents, (including electronically stored information) or tangible things
designated therein, but the court, upon motion made promptly and in any event at
or before the time specified in the subpoena for compliance therewith, may (1)
quash of modify the subpoena if it is unreasonable and oppressive, or (2) condition
denial of the motion upon the advancement by the person in whose behalf the
subpoena is issued of the reasonable cost of producing the books, papers,
documents, or tangible things. If a subpoena does not specify a form for producing
electronically stored information, the person responding must produce it in a form
or forms in which it is ordinarily maintained or in a reasonably usable form or
forms. A person responding to a subpoena may object to discovery of
electronically stored information from sources that the person identifies as not
reasonably accessible because of undue costs or burden. On motion to compel
discovery or to quash, the person from whom discovery is sought must show that
the information sought or the form requested is not reasonably accessible because
of undue costs or burden. If that showing is made, the court may nonetheless order
discovery from such sources or in such forms if the requesting party shows good
cause, considering the limitations set out in rule 1.280(d)(2). The court may
specify conditions of the discovery, including ordering that some or all of the
expenses of the discovery be paid by the party seeking the discovery. A party
seeking production of evidence at trial which would be subject to a subpoena may
compel such production by serving a notice to produce such evidence on an
adverse party as provided in rule 1.080. Such notice shall have the same effect and
be subject to the same limitations as a subpoena served on the party.
While I still think the OP can get the majority of the subpoena for records quashed, he will probably not be able to refrain from testifying about the underlying facts being sought.

For the penalty:
(f) Contempt. Failure by any person without adequate excuse to obey a
subpoena served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the court from
which the subpoena issued.
 

ppr

Junior Member
The alleged defamatory statements involve criticizing, by emails, the quality of the Plaintiff's company.
The lawsuit was filed almost two years ago still the Plaintiff failed to produce a "single document" (despite our repeated requests for production of documents) showing my brother's involvement.
It appears that the Plaintiff is simply harassing us so that we may volunterly withdraw the counter-case we filed.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Good information, tranquility.

I think ppr will need to see an attorney in his area if he wishes to withhold the production of his tax returns. He could find it difficult to file a motion to quash the subpoena on his own and he faces contempt of court if he doesn't object to, or doesn't produce, what has been requested by the plaintiff.

There is a lot to this story that is a mystery. :)
 

quincy

Senior Member
The alleged defamatory statements involve criticizing, by emails, the quality of the Plaintiff's company.
The lawsuit was filed almost two years ago still the Plaintiff failed to produce a "single document" (despite our repeated requests for production of documents) showing my brother's involvement.
It appears that the Plaintiff is simply harassing us so that we may volunterly withdraw the counter-case we filed.
Defamation of a company through emails? Interesting.

Does your brother have an attorney? If there is no proof that your brother defamed the company, a motion for summary judgment could be filed. The plaintiff cannot use the discovery process to "fish" for evidence to support an otherwise unsupportable case.
 

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