What might happen if a witness fails to comply with a subpoena?

When a witness fails to comply with a subpoena, potential consequences indeed include fines or being held in contempt of court. A subpoena is a legal document that mandates a person to appear in court or produce evidence, and failing to comply is taken seriously by the legal system.

If a witness does not respond appropriately to a subpoena, the court may impose penalties to enforce compliance. These penalties can range from monetary fines to more serious measures like contempt charges, which can lead to additional legal repercussions. This mechanism is intended to ensure that the judicial process is respected and that necessary evidence or testimony is made available for consideration in the case at hand.

The other options do not accurately reflect the typical legal outcomes of non-compliance with a subpoena. For instance, automatic contempt is not a guaranteed outcome; it depends on the circumstances and the court's discretion. Similarly, while a case may suffer negative consequences due to missing testimony or evidence, it is not automatically dismissed solely because a witness failed to appear. Finally, the idea that no consequences exist is incorrect, as there are indeed established repercussions for failure to comply with a subpoena in the legal system.