Opinion ID: 2611807
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Nature of power to issue subpoenas

Text: Plaintiff (and amici curiae on his behalf) advance a related argument that the power to issue subpoenas is inherently different from other legitimate powers that might be granted to a nonjudicial body, because it is a potent tool that may, in certain circumstances, be employed in an abusive and oppressive manner, especially when it may be indiscriminately delegated and the subpoena is not returnable before a judicial officer. (See Cudahy Packing Co. v. Holland (1942) 315 U.S. 357, 363-364 [86 L.Ed. 895, 899, 62 S.Ct. 651] [Fair Labor Standards Act bars Administrator of Department of Labor from delegating subpoena power].) The present case does not concern delegation, but an express grant, by charter amendment, of power to issue subpoenas. In any event, we note that the high court quickly retreated from Cudahy by confining it to its facts ( Fleming v. Mohawk Co. (1947) 331 U.S. 111 [91 L.Ed. 1375, 67 S.Ct. 1129]), and two years later Congress overruled Cudahy. (See Donovan v. National Bank of Alaska (9th Cir.1983) 696 F.2d. 678, 681.) In the same vein, plaintiff relies on a similarly distinguishable and ancient case, Burns v. Superior Court (1903) 140 Cal. 1 [73 P. 597], in which we upheld a statute insofar as it permitted a notary public to issue a subpoena compelling attendance of a witness at a deposition, but declared the statute unconstitutional insofar as it purported to authorize the notary public, on his own, to adjudicate and punish as contempt the disobedience of his subpoena. ( Id. at pp. 12-14.) Burns thus stands for the established proposition that, unless the Constitution expressly or by necessary implication provides otherwise, only a court may adjudicate and punish contempt. The CLERB has no power to enforce or adjudicate punishment for violation of its subpoenas  instead, it must proceed in court to enforce a subpoena under the court's contempt power  and hence Burns does not implicate the CLERB's power to issue subpoenas. Nevertheless, we do not doubt the legitimacy of plaintiff's concern about possible misuse of the power to issue subpoenas. In this context, however, the potential for abuse does not appear to be any greater than that which exists when various other nonjudicial county entities exercise their established powers to issue subpoenas (see, e.g., §§ 25170, 25171 [board of supervisors], 31110.2 [civil service commission], 27498 [coroner], 27721 [hearing officers], 31535 [retirement board]), or when the civilian police review boards of charter cities exercise their power to issue subpoenas (see, e.g., Brown v. City of Berkeley, supra, 57 Cal. App.3d 223, 236; [City of Berkeley ordinance]; Richmond Mun. Code, § 3.54.080(b)(8); Santa Cruz Mun. Code, § 2.41.220(a)( i )). In those situations, as in the present, the concern about potential misuse of the subpoena power may be addressed through close scrutiny by the court in motions to quash, or in contempt actions to enforce, subpoenas. (See Code Civ. Proc. §§ 1985, 1987.1, 1991; cf. Gov. Code §§ 25173-25175.) The mere potential for abusive issuance of subpoenas does not compel a conclusion that the power to issue subpoenas is beyond the scope of power conferrable on county officers under article XI, section 4(e) of the Constitution.