§ 133.065 Service of criminal citation

When a police officer gives someone a citation instead of arresting them and taking them to jail, the officer has to hand the person a copy of that citation right away. This copy tells the person what they're being charged with and lets them know how to handle the case going forward.

The officer also has to turn in a second copy of the citation to the court as soon as they reasonably can. Along with that copy, the officer must include proof showing that the citation was actually given to the person. This step makes sure the court has an official record of the citation and knows the case is moving forward properly.

This process matters because it creates a paper trail. It shows the person got proper notice of the charges, and it gives the court the documentation it needs to keep the case on track.