Need a subpoena served at a Boston address, such as a witness, a records custodian at a downtown business, or a deposition witness for a federal case? Civil Constable provides subpoena service in Boston for Massachusetts and federal civil subpoenas. Subpoena service is governed by court rule rather than by a constable's town appointment, so we can review Boston subpoena assignments. This page covers what to send, the rules that apply, and the Boston courts your subpoena is likely to come from.

General information, not legal advice. Civil Constable is not a law firm.

What we serve in Boston, and what we don't

  • We serve:
    • Massachusetts civil subpoenas: deposition, records-only, and hearing or trial
    • Federal civil subpoenas: Forms AO 88, AO 88A and AO 88B
  • Why we can: under Mass. R. Civ. P. 45(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 45(b)(1), any non-party adult may serve a subpoena.
  • We don't offer constable service of a summons and complaint in Boston. A constable's authority under G.L. c. 41, § 92 is limited to the appointing town. For a Boston summons and complaint, use the Suffolk County Sheriff's civil process division, or a special process server appointed by the court under Rule 4(c). See Constables and process servers in Massachusetts.

Boston courts your subpoena may come from

Subpoenas served in Boston are often issued in cases pending in Boston courts, including:

  • Suffolk County Superior Court (civil cases in the Superior Court)
  • Boston Municipal Court, including the Central Division and the neighborhood divisions (Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston, West Roxbury)
  • Eastern Housing Court (Boston session)
  • Suffolk Probate and Family Court
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Eastern Division, at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Way. Federal subpoenas use the AO forms.

A subpoena can also come from a case pending elsewhere. A Massachusetts hearing or trial subpoena may be served at any place within the Commonwealth (Mass. R. Civ. P. 45(e)), and a federal subpoena may be served at any place within the United States (Fed. R. Civ. P. 45(b)(2)).

Rules that matter for a Boston subpoena

  • Records custodians. Many Boston subpoenas go to a business's records custodian. For a Massachusetts documents-only subpoena, a copy must be served on each party before it is served on the custodian (Rule 45(d)). The custodian doesn't have to appear in person unless the subpoena also commands attendance (Rule 45(b)). For federal document subpoenas, notice to the parties comes first too (Fed. R. Civ. P. 45(a)(4)).
  • Witness fees. When attendance is commanded, one day's fee and mileage are tendered with the subpoena, except for government-issued subpoenas. The general Massachusetts witness fee is six dollars a day and ten cents a mile (G.L. c. 262, § 29).
  • Distance limits. Outside hearings and trials, a Massachusetts resident generally can't be required to attend or produce more than 50 airline miles from home, work or business (Mass. R. Civ. P. 45(d)). The federal limit is generally 100 miles (Fed. R. Civ. P. 45(c)).
  • Objections. A written objection to a Massachusetts document subpoena is due within 10 days after service, or by compliance if that is sooner. The federal deadline is the earlier of compliance or 14 days.

For the full step-by-step, see Subpoena service in Massachusetts and Federal subpoena forms AO 88, AO 88A and AO 88B.

What to send us for a Boston subpoena

  • the issued subpoena, with any Schedule A
  • the witness or records custodian's name and the Boston service address (business or home)
  • the deposition, production, hearing or trial date
  • fee-tender instructions, if attendance is commanded
  • for documents-only subpoenas, confirmation that the parties have been served first

We review the subpoena type, timing and address before accepting the assignment. Accepted assignments come with documented attempts and a return through the client portal.

Ready to send a Boston subpoena? Submit a subpoena service request.

Frequently asked questions

Can a constable serve a subpoena in Boston?

Any non-party adult may serve a subpoena under Rule 45, so subpoena service doesn't depend on a constable's town appointment.

Who serves a summons and complaint in Boston?

Under Mass. R. Civ. P. 4(c): a sheriff or deputy sheriff, another person duly authorized by law, or a person specially appointed by the court. We don't offer constable service of summonses in Boston.

Can you serve a federal subpoena at a Boston office?

Yes, we review federal AO 88, AO 88A and AO 88B subpoenas for Boston addresses. Federal subpoenas may be served anywhere in the United States, subject to Rule 45's place-of-compliance limits.

Official sources

Reviewed October 2026.

Topics: AttorneysBostonSubpoenas