A summons issued by the municipal judge is supposed to be in the same form as a felony warrant of arrest.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. It should be in the form of a misdemeanor citation
• D. It should be in the form of a civil summons

Answer: (A)

A summons and a felony warrant serve different purposes, so they use different forms. A summons issued by a municipal judge is a notice that a person must appear in court for a misdemeanor or municipal violation; it’s about bringing someone to court without immediate custody. In contrast, a felony warrant of arrest is a document that authorizes police to arrest someone on felony charges right away. Because the two documents have different intents—appearance versus arrest—the summons should not be in the same form as a felony arrest warrant. In practice, a municipal summons often takes the form of a misdemeanor citation or a summons to appear, rather than an arrest warrant.