If a subpoena has been requested within seven business days of the trial, it may not be served by mail.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. It may be served by certified mail
• D. It must be served by hand-delivery

Answer: (D)

When a subpoena is issued within seven business days of the trial, it must be delivered directly to the person it’s directed at. Hand-delivery is used in this near-trial window to ensure the recipient actually receives notice in time to respond, and it creates a reliable, verifiable record of service. Mail delivery can be slow or unreliable, which could jeopardize the witness’s ability to comply or even show whether notice was received.

So, the correct understanding is that it must be served by hand-delivery. The idea that mail could be used in this window isn’t appropriate for near-trial subpoenas, since mail service could delay or fail to reach the recipient before the trial date.