subpoena duces tecum

CONT: A subpoena duces tecum [Lat., = bring with you under penalty] requires a witness to produce at trial books, personal papers, or other material relevant to a judicial proceeding. Failure to obey a subpoena constitutes contempt of court, through subpoenas can be challenged.
CONT: A subpoena that commands a person to bring certain evidence, usually documents or papers, is called a subpoena duces tecum, from the Latin ""under penalty to bring with you."" this type of subpoena is often used in a civil lawsuit where one party resists giving the other party documents through the discovery process. If a court is convinced that the document request is legitimate, it will order the production of documents using a subpoena duces tecum.