New York Summons is a legal document issued by the court to notify a person of an upcoming court date. Summons can be issued for a variety of reasons, including criminal summons, civil summons, and family court summons. A criminal summons is used to notify someone of a pending criminal charge. This summons requires the recipient to appear in court on a specific date to answer a charge. A civil summons is issued for a variety of reasons, such as responding to a lawsuit, appearing for a deposition, or answering a summons. A family court summons is issued by the family court to notify someone of an upcoming court hearing related to a family matter, such as a divorce, custody dispute, or adoption. New York Summons must be served to the recipient in person or by mail. Once served, the recipient is required to appear in court on the specified date to answer the charge or take part in the proceedings.