Municipal court clerks have the authority to serve a summons.

• A. Clerks in municipal courts have authority to serve a summons.
• B. Clerks in municipal courts do not have authority to serve a summons.
• C. Clerks in municipal courts may issue summons only if approved by a judge.
• D. Clerks in municipal courts may serve summons only for certain offenses.

Answer: (B)

In this area, the person who issues a summons is not the same as the person who delivers it. The clerk’s job is to prepare and issue the summons and ensure it goes into the proper process, but the actual service is carried out by a law enforcement officer or a designated process server. That’s why municipal court clerks do not have the authority to personally serve a summons.

Sometimes the clerk might direct or arrange for service through the sheriff’s office, police, or an approved private process server, but the act of serving is performed by someone other than the clerk. This is why the statement about clerks having authority to serve is not correct.