Rule Text
MISDEMEANOR – SUMMONS – CONTENTS
The summons shall:
(a) Be in writing and in the name of the State of Missouri;
(b) State the name of the defendant summoned;
(c) Describe the misdemeanor charged;
(d) Be signed by the court or clerk at the court's direction for a specific summons;
(e) Command the defendant to appear before the court at a stated time and place in response thereto; and
(f) State whether the defendant may appear remotely by interactive video technology and provide video access information to the defendant.
Committee Note - 1979
This is substantially the same as Fed.R.Crim.P.4(c)(2).
Amendment history: (Adopted June 13, 1979, eff. Jan. 1, 1980. Renumbered from 21.06 and amended Jan. 28, 2002, eff. Jan. 1, 2003; June 27, 2003, eff. Jan. 1, 2004; Dec. 18, 2018, eff. July 1, 2019; Oct. 26, 2021, eff. Jul. 1 ,2022.)
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
When someone is charged with a misdemeanor in Missouri, the court may send them a summons instead of arresting them. This rule spells out exactly what that summons must include so it's clear and official.
The summons has to be written, and it must be issued in the name of the State of Missouri. It needs to clearly state who is being charged and what misdemeanor they're accused of. The court or clerk must sign it, and it has to tell the person exactly when and where to show up in court.
The summons also has to say whether the person can appear remotely using video technology, like a video call, instead of showing up in person. If remote appearance is allowed, the summons must include the information needed to access that video connection. This gives defendants a clear notice of what they're facing and what's expected of them, while also giving them the option to appear virtually if the court allows it.
