Home › S › Subornation of Perjury

Subornation of Perjury

the writ or process commanding the attendance in a court of justice of the witness on whom it is served under a penalty.

SUBPŒNA, or SUBPENA, in law, a If the witness refuses or neglects to attend, and has no legal excuse, such as ance in a court of justice of the witness writ or process commanding the attendaction of damages, or imprisoned for SUBPŒNA, or SUBPΕΝΑ contempt of court; but his traveling expenses must have been paid beforehand. Also, the process by which a defendant in equity is commanded to appear and answer the plaintiff's bill. Subpœna duces tecum, a writ commanding the attendance of a witness at a trial, and ordering him to bring with him all books, writings, or the like, bearing on the case.

SUB ROSA ("under the rose,” i. e., under the obligation of secrecy), a term which possibly had its origin, as Sir Thomas Brown suggests, in the closeness with which the rosebud folds its petals, or in the rose with which Harpocrates, god of silence, was bribed by Cupid not to divulge his mother Venus's amours. A rose is often found sculptured on the ceilings of mediæval banqueting halls and on confessionals. SUBSIDENCE AND UPHEAVAL, terms applied to movements of the earth's crust.