(a) For Attendance of Witnesses—Form—Issuance. Every subpoena shall be issued by the clerk under the seal of the court, shall state the name of the court and title of the action, and shall command each person to whom it is directed to attend and give testimony or to produce documents at a time and place therein specified. The clerk shall issue a subpoena for the attendance of a witness, signed and sealed but otherwise in blank, to a party requesting it, who shall fill it in before service. The clerk shall issue a subpoena for the production of documentary evidence signed and sealed and indicating the date, time and place of the deposition or court proceeding at which the documentary evidence is to be produced.
Rule 45.Subpoena.
Last amended October 15, 2015 · Last verified July 6, 2026
In one sentenceRule 45 governs how a subpoena is issued, served, and enforced in Alaska civil cases — commanding a witness's attendance, document production, or both — and sets separate rules for depositions, hearings, and out-of-state discovery.
Full Text of Rule 45
(b) For Production of Documentary Evidence. A subpoena may also command the person to whom it is directed to produce the books, papers, documents, 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) void or 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. A subpoena may specify the form or forms in which electronically stored information is to be produced.
(c) Service. A subpoena may be served by a peace officer, or any other person who is not a party and is not less than 18 years of age. Service of a subpoena upon a person named therein shall be made by delivering a copy thereof to such person and by tendering to the person the fees for one day’s attendance and the mileage prescribed by rule. When the subpoena is issued on behalf of the state, a municipality, a borough, a city, or an officer or agency thereof, fees and mileage need not be tendered. A subpoena may also be served by registered or certified mail. In such case the clerk shall mail the subpoena for delivery only to the person subpoenaed and, unless not required under this rule, shall enclose a warrant or postal money order in the amount of the fees for one day’s attendance and of the mileage prescribed by rule. The returned delivery receipt shall be so addressed that it is returned to the party requesting the subpoena or that party’s attorney. Proof of service shall be made by affidavit.
(d) Subpoena for Taking Depositions—Place of Examination.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), proof of service of a notice to take a deposition as provided in Rules 30(b) and 31(a) constitutes a sufficient authorization for the issuance by the clerk of the court for any judicial district of subpoenas for the persons named or described therein. The subpoena may command the person to whom it is directed to produce and permit inspection and copying of designated books, papers, documents, or tangible things which constitute or contain matters within the scope of the examination permitted by Rule 26(b), but in that event the subpoena will be subject to the provisions of Rule 26(c) and subparagraph (b) of this rule.
The person to whom the subpoena is directed may, within 10 days after the service thereof or on or before the time specified in the subpoena for compliance if such time is less than 10 days after service, serve upon the attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to inspection or copying of any or all of the designated materials. If objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and copy the material except pursuant to an order of the court from which the subpoena was issued. The party serving the subpoena may, if objection has been made, move upon notice to the deponent for an order at any time before or during the taking of the deposition.
(2) A resident of the judicial district in which the deposition is to be taken may be required to attend an examination at any place within the district, unless otherwise ordered by the court. A nonresident of the judicial district in which the deposition is to be taken, and a nonresident of the state subpoenaed within the state, may be required to attend at any place within the district wherein the nonresident is served with a subpoena, unless otherwise ordered by the court.
(3) Rule 45.1 defines the procedure for the issuance of a subpoena for deposition and discovery in an out-of-state action.
(e) Subpoena for a Hearing or Trial. At the request of any party subpoenas for attendance at a hearing or trial shall be issued by the clerk of the court for the judicial district in which the hearing or trial is held. A subpoena requiring the attendance of a witness at a hearing or trial may be served at any place within the state.
(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.
(g) Enforcement of Administrative Subpoenas. When any officer or agency of the state has the authority to issue subpoenas, enforcement of such subpoenas to compel the giving of testimony or the production of documents may be secured by proceedings brought in the court in the manner provided by the Administrative Procedures Act of the state.
Amendment History
(Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 90 effective July 24, 1967; by SCO 167 dated June 25, 1973; by SCO 258 effective November 15, 1976; by SCO 374 effective August 15, 1979; by SCO 465 effective June 1, 1981; by SCO 558 effective May 2, 1983; by SCO 934 effective January 15, 1989; by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994; by SCO 1682 effective April 15, 2009; and by SCO 1853 effective October 15, 2015)
Notes
Note: Ch. 75 SLA 2002 (HB 106), Section 4, adds a new section to AS 06.01 relating to the confidentiality of depositor and customer records at banking and other financial institutions. According to Section 56 of the Act, AS 06.01.028(b) has the effect of changing Civil Rule 45, Criminal Rules 17 and 37, and Alaska Bar Rule 24 by requiring certain court orders compelling disclosure of records to provide for reimbursement of a financial institution’s reasonable costs of complying with the order.
Note: Chapter 10 FSSLA 2005 (SB 130) enacted changes relating to workers’ compensation. According to section 76 of the Act, AS 23.30.280(i), as enacted by section 65 of the Act, has the effect of changing Civil Rule 45 by changing the procedure relating to subpoenas.
Plain-English Summary
The clerk issues every subpoena under the court's seal, naming the court and the case and directing the person served to appear, testify, or produce documents at a specified time and place; for a witness subpoena, the clerk can issue it signed and sealed but otherwise blank, letting the requesting party fill in the details before service. A subpoena can also demand production of books, papers, documents, electronically stored information, or other things, and specify the format for producing electronic information, though the court can void or narrow a subpoena that's unreasonable or oppressive, or make the requesting party advance the reasonable cost of production. Service is made by a peace officer or any non-party at least 18 years old, delivering a copy along with one day's witness fee and mileage — except when the subpoena is issued for the state or a local government, which need not tender those fees — and service can also be made by registered or certified mail, with proof of service by affidavit.
For depositions, proof that a deposition notice was properly served is itself enough authorization for the clerk of any judicial district to issue subpoenas for the people named in it, and such a subpoena can also demand production of documents within the scope of discovery, subject to the court's power to limit unreasonable requests. A person served with a deposition subpoena for documents has 10 days to object in writing to producing some or all of the material, and once an objection is made, the requesting party needs a court order to inspect it. A resident of the judicial district where the deposition is held can be required to attend anywhere within that district, and a non-resident can be required to attend wherever served within the district; a separate rule governs subpoenas for out-of-state depositions and discovery. Subpoenas for a hearing or trial are issued by the clerk of the district where it's held and can be served anywhere in the state, and anyone who disobeys a subpoena without a good excuse can be held in contempt of the issuing court. Subpoenas issued by a state officer or agency with its own subpoena power are enforced through the procedures set out in the state's Administrative Procedure Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who fills out a witness subpoena?
The clerk issues it signed and sealed but otherwise blank, and the party requesting it fills in the details before serving it.
Can I object to a deposition subpoena that demands my documents?
Yes — you have 10 days after service to object in writing, and once you object, the requesting party needs a court order before it can inspect the material.
What happens if someone ignores a subpoena?
Disobeying a subpoena without an adequate excuse can be treated as contempt of the court that issued it.
Does Rule 45 cover subpoenas for out-of-state depositions?
No — Rule 45.1 sets a separate procedure for issuing a subpoena to take a deposition or conduct discovery in another state.
Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the
official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 45). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alaska (Alaska Const. art. IV, § 15). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: subpoena Alaska civil caseobjecting to a deposition subpoena Alaskasubpoena for documents Alaska ruleserving a subpoena Alaska civil procedureAlaska R. Civ. P. 45