Rule 3A:4. Arrest Warrant or Summons

(a) Issuance. — More than one warrant or summons may issue on the same

complaint. A warrant may be issued by a judicial officer if the accused fails to appear in

response to a summons.

(b) Form of Summons. — A summons, whether issued by a magistrate or a law-

enforcement officer, must command the accused to appear at a stated time and place

before a court of appropriate jurisdiction in the county, city or town in which the

summons is issued. It must (i) state the name of the accused or, if his name is unknown,

set forth a description by which he can be identified with reasonable certainty, (ii)

describe the offense charged and state whether the offense is a violation of state, county,

city or town law, and (iii) be signed by the magistrate or the law-enforcement office, as

the case may be.

(c) Execution and Return. — If a warrant has been issued but the officer does not

have the warrant in his possession at the time of the arrest, he must (i) inform the accused

of the offense charged and that a warrant has been issued, and (ii) deliver a copy of the

warrant to the accused as soon thereafter as practicable.

PART THREE A

CRIMINAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE