summons

7 definitions • 15 examples

an official demand to appear in a court of law:

He was given/served with a summons to appear in court.

Mr Clarke's insurance company had issued a summons for unpaid mortgage repayments.

an order to come and see someone:

They sat there as if they were waiting for some sort of summons.

to order someone to come to a person or place:

The police mobile rapid response unit was summonsed to the scene shortly before 10pm.

Children were summonsed into school by a bell.

to officially order someone to appear in a court of law:

A student was summonsed to court for putting her feet up on a train seat.

It is not unusual for only half of the people summonsed to present themselves to the court.

a demand to appear in a particular place, esp. in a court of law:

I received a summons to appear in court on June 25th.

an order for someone to appear in a court of law:

One newspaper reporter was given a summons for disorderly conduct.

They will be issued a summons to appear before the U.S. District Court in Richmond.

Service of the summons does not have to be effected in person; postal service is likely to be sufficient.

issue/serve/send a summons Proctor will be served a summons with a date to appear in court to answer the charges.

receive/get/be given a summons Approximately half of defendants receive a summons rather than being brought into custody.

to order someone to appear in a court of law:

Prosecutors summonsed several residents to the Grafton County grand jury.

I have been summoned for jury service and must appear at Middlesex Crown Court on July 31.