Opinion ID: 2511875
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: District Attorney Standing

Text: Spykstra contends that although the People are the named party bringing this prosecution, the District Attorney does not have standing to move to quash subpoenas issued to third parties. We hold that the District Attorney, as the attorney for the People in a criminal proceeding, does have standing to move to quash a third-party subpoena. We reject Spykstra's characterization of the District Attorney's actions as taken on behalf of B.G.'s parents because we find that the District Attorney has an independent interest in ensuring the propriety of the subpoenas. As the prosecuting party, the District Attorney has an interest in the case's management, particularly in the prevention of witness harassment through improper discovery requests. This is especially so where the witnesses are the parents of a minor victim. In jurisdictions with rules similar to Crim. P. 17(c), courts have found that the prosecution has standing to challenge a defense subpoena of a third party. We find the reasoning of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in Commonwealth v. Lam, 444 Mass. 224, 827 N.E.2d 209, 213-14 (2005), particularly applicable here. Charged with sexually assaulting a minor girl, the defendant sought from the girl's father statements or e-mails of the complainant concerning sexual abuse. Id. at 212 n. 3. The prosecution challenged the trial court's order requiring the father to disclose the emails, and the defendant asserted that the Commonwealth lacked standing. Id. at 213. Rejecting the defendant's claim, the Massachusetts court explained: A majority of courts interpreting Fed. R.Crim.P. 17(c), on which our rule 17(a)(2) is based have allowed the government to challenge the issuance of subpoenas duces tecum to third parties. We agree. The Commonwealth, charged with prosecuting the case, will often be able to assist a judge in determining whether a motion under rule 17(a)(2) involves an improper fishing expedition. The Commonwealth, of course, also has an interest in preventing unnecessary harassment of a complainant and other Commonwealth witnesses caused by burdensome, frivolous, or otherwise improper discovery requests. A complainant or witness should be forced neither to retain counsel nor to appear before a court in order to challenge, on the basis of a partial view of the case, potentially impermissible examination of her personal effects and the records of her personal interactions. Those dangers are particularly obvious where, as here, the summonses are directed at minors and their caretakers. The Commonwealth has standing to challenge a defendant's motion for summonses. Id. at 213-14 (citations omitted). The reasoning in Lam applies with equal force here. Spykstra cites no statute prohibiting the District Attorney from filing this type of motion. To the contrary, a district attorney has the general authority to appear and participate in proceedings to which the People of the State are party. See § 20-1-102(1), C.R.S. (2009). Moreover, the limited exceptions to a district attorney's general authority to appear on behalf of the State do not apply. No district attorney disqualification rule is involved in this case, see § 20-1-107(2), C.R.S. (2009), and the General Assembly has not authorized a different body to prosecute this action, see Harris v. Jefferson County Ct., 808 P.2d 364, 365 (Colo.App.1991) ([W]hen the General Assembly authorizes a different body to prosecute a particular type of action, then the district attorney is without authority to act.). Crim. P. 17(c) further supports the District Attorney's standing to move to quash the subpoenas. The rule permits motions to quash or to modify a subpoena but does not expressly limit or enumerate who may bring such a motion. Crim. P. 17(c); cf. Colo. Bar Assoc. Ethics Opinion 102: Use of Subpoenas in Criminal Proceedings, Mar. 21, 1998 (stating that, in addition to the person served with the subpoena duces tecum, a party to the proceeding may move to quash the subpoena). Moreover, unlike Rule 17 in other jurisdictions, our Crim. P. 17(c) uniquely requires that notice be given to district attorneys upon issuance of a third-party subpoena, thus indicating their interest in the matter and implying consequent standing to object. Compare Crim. P. 17(c) (requiring a copy of the subpoena to be provided to opposing counsel) with Fed. R.Crim.P. 17(c) (lacking such a requirement). Accordingly, we conclude that the District Attorney has standing to challenge the subpoenas.