One may feel one has a dispute with a business person or a family member-but once the summons is issued it is the full power of the law and the courts that is brought to bear in the dispute and it is absolutely vital to treat it seriously, file a response within the time limits…or face the consequences.
The Judge will ask you how you will plead, guilty or not guilty. You'll plead not guilty, usually and then the Judge will set the case for some other pre-trial hearings and if you cannot afford an attorney, the Judge will appoint one for you. Also, at the arraignment, the Judge is going to set release conditions.
If you sue someone, you must serve them with a summons. This gives them notice of the lawsuit. “Service of process” is the formal name for giving a defendant a summons to come to court.
Summary. A summons is a notice served on a person to let them know that a complaint or petition has been filed against them. The summons requires the person to answer the complaint or petition within a certain amount of time, or attend a court hearing on a certain day and time.
But while a summons marks the beginning of a court case, a subpoena comes after a case has begun and requires the person who receives it to provide evidence that is considered important to the outcome of the case. You can still receive a subpoena even if you aren't directly involved in the case.