When a defendant fails to respond to a summons issued by a magistrate, what type of order does the magistrate issue?

• A. A warrant of arrest
• B. A capias
• C. A contempt order
• D. A notice to appear again

Answer: (A)

When someone doesn’t answer a summons, the court needs to compel their appearance. The magistrate does this by issuing a warrant of arrest, an order directed to law enforcement to arrest the person and bring them before the court so the case can proceed. This tool directly enforces the summons and ensures the defendant is present. A contempt order is reserved for disobeying a court order already in force, not simply failing to respond to a summons. A notice to appear again would be a renewed summons and doesn’t authorize immediate arrest, so it wouldn’t accomplish the enforcement needed in this situation.