A local criminal court __________ directs a police officer to arrest a defendant and to bring him/her before such court for the purpose of arraignment upon a filed accusatory instrument in which a criminal action has commenced.

• A. Warrant of arrest
• B. Summons
• C. Citation
• D. Admonition

Answer: (A)

Arrest warrants are issued by a local criminal court to command a police officer to arrest a named defendant and bring him or her before the court for arraignment after a criminal action has begun with a filed accusatory instrument. This tool ensures the defendant is in custody and present for the initial court proceedings. A summons, by contrast, requires the defendant to appear in court without immediate arrest; a citation is a notice to appear for certain offenses, often without arrest; and an admonition is simply a warning or instruction and does not authorize arrest.