Letters of Exculpation Definition: Scots law: a subpoena, in the form of a warrant, to a material witness in a criminal matter to testify at trial. Related Terms: Exculpate, Subpoena George Watson's book defined letters of exculpation as a tool of Scottish law:"... a warrant granted at the suit of the panel or defender in a criminal prosecution, for citing and compelling the attendance of the witnesses in proof either of his defence ... or of his objections against the jury or witnesses, or in support of whatever else may tend to his exculpation."REFERENCES:Watson, George, Bell's Dictionary and Digest of the Law of Scotland, 7th Edition (London: Butterworths, 1890), page 430. Categories & Topics: Criminal Law Dictionary Scots Law Dictionary Find you are constantly looking up definitions? Try our search provider (works in most modern browsers) If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Legal Dictionary, or if you have legal term suggestion, we'd love to hear from you!