§ 133.110 Issuance; citation

When someone files a formal charge (called an information or complaint) against a person, a judge looks at it to decide if there's enough evidence to believe the person actually committed the crime. This is called "probable cause." If the judge finds probable cause, the law says the judge must issue a warrant for that person's arrest.

However, not every case leads straight to an arrest warrant. For certain minor offenses, the court can instead let a police officer issue a citation. This works like a ticket. It tells the person to show up in court instead of being arrested and taken into custody right away.

This rule matters because it protects people from being arrested without good reason. It also gives courts a way to handle less serious charges without putting someone in jail before their case is heard. If you receive a citation instead of being arrested, it means the court decided your situation qualifies for this less severe process.