Daily AncestorSummons
A summons is a court paper telling a person that he is being sued, or must come to court, and giving the date to appear.
The court issued the summons and a sheriff or other authorized person served it. It told the defendant how many days he had to answer or when to appear. In minor criminal matters a summons could be used instead of an arrest warrant.
As seen in a recordLoose court papers, 1800s
Summons issued to Abner Lusk to answer Jno. Hart in a plea of debt. Returned: Executed. Wm. Bell, Shff.
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Summons." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/summons. Last checked 2026-10-12.