ci·ta·tion /sī-'tā-shən/ n
1: a writ giving notice to a person to appear in court: as
a: a process served upon an interested party in a probate proceeding
b: a notice to a person that he or she is charged with a petty offense (as a traffic violation); also: the document embodying the notice
◇ Citations are issued in minor criminal cases as an alternative to arrest. Often a person may consent in writing to the penalty specified on the citation and forgo an appearance in court.
2: the citing of a previously decided case or recognized legal authority as support for an argument; also: the caption used for referring to such a case or authority esp. as published in a reporter
ci·ta·tion·al /-shə-nəl/ adj
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.