Bellis v. Commonwealth

A physician was punished for contempt of court for failure to obey a subpoena duces tecum. His appeal questions the effectiveness of the service of the subpoena.

A felony case, Commonwealth v. Jeffery Allen Noaks, was set for trial on Monday, August 15, 1988, in the Circuit Court of Wise County. The commonwealth’s attorney caused a subpoena duces tecum to issue, commanding Dr. Morris Beilis to attend the trial on August 15 and to produce certain medical records pertaining to a medical examination of the victim of a malicious wounding and an attempted rape.

The sheriff received the subpoena from…