sum·mons 1 /'sə-mənz/ n pl sum·mons·es /-mən-zəz/: a written notification that one is required to appear in court: as
a: a document in a civil suit that is issued by an authorized judicial officer (as a clerk of court) and delivered to a plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney for service on the defendant and that notifies the defendant that he or she must appear and defend (as by filing an answer) within a specified time or a default judgment will be rendered for the plaintiff
b: a document that summons a defendant to appear before a court to answer a minor criminal charge and that is issued in lieu of a warrant for arrest by an authorized judicial officer (as a magistrate) upon request of a prosecuting attorney
c: a notification to appear for jury service
summons 2 vt sum·monsed /-mənzd/, sum·mons·ing, /-mən-ziŋ/: summon; esp: to bring into court by a summons
hereby summonsed to serve as a trial juror
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.