Art. 28 Issuance of summons or warrant of arrest

When a judge believes someone is genuinely about to commit a crime, this rule tells the judge what to do about it. If there's good reason to think a person is planning to hurt someone or break the law soon, the judge can order that person to come to court on a specific date. This gives the person a chance to explain themselves or address the concern before anything happens.

However, if the threat looks serious enough that someone could be badly hurt very soon, the judge doesn't have to wait for a court date. Instead, the judge can skip the summons and issue an arrest warrant right away. This lets police take the person into custody immediately, rather than just asking them to show up later.

Basically, this rule gives judges two tools depending on how urgent the danger is. A summons is used for situations that need attention but aren't an immediate emergency. An arrest warrant is used when waiting could put someone in real danger. The judge decides which option fits based on how serious and how soon the threatened harm might happen.