Rule 37.44 Summons - Service and Return

When you get a summons for a minor violation like an ordinance case, the court has two ways to deliver it to you. The court clerk can simply mail it to your last known address using regular first class mail. Or a law enforcement officer can hand-deliver it following the same rules used for serving other legal papers in civil cases.

If you get a summons and don't show up to court, that doesn't mean the case just goes away. If the court finds there's probable cause that you committed the violation, a judge can issue a warrant for your arrest. So ignoring a summons can actually make your situation worse, not better.

This means you need to make sure your address is up to date with the court and that you actually check your mail. If you've moved and don't update your address, you could miss a summons entirely and still end up with an arrest warrant because you didn't show up.