A __________ commences the process of a local criminal court or superior court requiring a defendant to appear before such court for the purpose of arraignment upon the accusatory instrument which commenced the criminal action.

• A. Warrant of arrest
• B. Complaint
• C. Information
• D. Summons

Answer: (D)

A summons is the instrument that compels a defendant to appear in court for arraignment on the charge. When a charging document starts the criminal action, the court issues a summons directing the defendant to come to court on a specified date to answer to that accusatory instrument. This is different from a warrant of arrest, which authorizes law enforcement to take the person into custody rather than requiring voluntary appearance. The charging document itself initiates the case, but it is the summons that initiates the defendant’s appearance for arraignment.