Opinion ID: 2377101
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Saadi Subpoena Duces Tecum

Text: The Saadi subpoena duces tecum called for her testimony as well as the production of certified copies of 23 KDHE reports of induced pregnancy termination pertaining to the patients whose abortions are the subject of the felony counts in the complaint. Consideration of the subpoena duces tecum directed to Saadi requires us first to discuss the scope of our jurisdiction in this interlocutory appeal. Neither party discusses jurisdiction in its brief. However, it is the responsibility of this court to consider the issue sua sponte, if necessary. State v. Gill, 287 Kan. 289, 294, 196 P.3d 369 (2008). As the Court of Appeals observed before transfer, the Notice of Interlocutory Appeal in this criminal prosecution was insufficient to create appellate jurisdiction over the Saadi subpoena because it came too late. The State's pleading filed August 7, 2008, in response to the Court of Appeals' order to show cause was sufficient to demonstrate the existence of appellate jurisdiction over the subpoenas directed at Judge Anderson and Cavanaugh but not over that directed to Saadi. Thus, although counsel for both parties appeared to assume the existence of such jurisdiction at oral argument before this court, we do not reach the merits of either side's arguments on the Saadi subpoena duces tecum. Judge Tatum's ruling on that subpoena stands undisturbed.