summons
Legal order to appear
An official legal document that tells someone they must go to court or respond to a case.
a summons to [court]; a summons for [someone]; issue/serve/receive a summons
- She received a summons to appear in court next month.
- The company was served with a summons after the lawsuit was filed.
- Ignoring a court summons can lead to fines or other penalties.
- I got a summons from the court.
- You must not ignore a summons.
Formal call to attend
A formal call or request telling someone to come somewhere.
a summons from [someone]; a summons to [place/event]
- The mayor's sudden summons brought department heads back to city hall.
- He treated the email as a summons to an emergency meeting.
- The children reluctantly answered their grandmother's summons from the kitchen.
- I received a summons from my boss.
- The teacher's summons brought the students back inside.
Order by legal summons
To officially order someone to go to court by sending them a summons.
[someone] summonses [someone] to [court]; [someone] is summonsed for [an offense]
- He was summonsed to appear before the magistrates.
- Police summonsed the driver for driving without insurance.
- The court can summons witnesses if they refuse to attend voluntarily.
- She was summonsed to court.
- He was summonsed for speeding.
- Base: summons
- Plural: summonses
answer a summons
1Respond to legal order
To do what a summons requires, such as going to court or replying to a legal case.
- The defendant failed to answer the summons by the deadline.
- She answered the summons by appearing in court with her lawyer.
- If you do not answer a summons, the court may enter a default judgment.
at someone's summons
1When someone calls
Because someone has formally called you or told you to come.
- At the governor's summons, officials returned to the capital for emergency talks.
- They gathered in the conference room at the CEO's summons.
- At her father's summons, Clara joined the guests in the library.
jury summons
1Notice for jury service
A letter or notice saying you may have to serve on a jury.
- I got a jury summons in the mail for next month.
- The jury summons explained how to request a postponement.
- Ignoring a jury summons can result in penalties.
serve someone with a summons
1Legally deliver a summons
To officially give someone a legal document telling them to go to court or respond to a case.
- A process server served him with a summons at his office.
- The landlord served a summons on the tenant after months of unpaid rent.
- You must respond quickly if you are served with a summons.
summons and complaint
1Initial lawsuit papers
Legal papers that tell someone a lawsuit has started against them and explain the claims.
- The defendant was served with a summons and complaint at her home.
- The summons and complaint gave the company 30 days to respond.
- After receiving the summons and complaint, he contacted a lawyer.
witness summons
1Order for witness attendance
A court order telling a witness to come to court.
- The prosecutor applied for a witness summons to make him attend the trial.
- She received a witness summons requiring her to give evidence.
- A witness summons may also require a person to bring documents to court.