LPG1.4.11Policies and Procedures
Summonses and Warrants
Student Notes
Version 1.14
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Learning Outcomes
When you have successfully completed this module, you will be able to:
1. Explain the process of generating and serving a Summons
2. Summarise the process of generating and executing a Warrant
3. Outline the Issue, the Execution and Cancellation Following Execution of an
Arrest Warrant
4. Outline the Issue and Execution of a European Arrest Warrant
Key to Graphics
The pencil indicates an exercise or knowledge check for
you to complete.
The microscope tells you when there is a topic that may
require a closer look or further research or reading.
The exclamation mark highlights an area that you need to
pay close attention to.
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Table of ContentsLearning Outcomes................................................................................................... 3Key to Graphics........................................................................................................ 3Introduction............................................................................................................. 5Summonses and warrants ......................................................................................... 5
Practical points ................................................................................................... 6A defendant summons......................................................................................... 6How a defendant summons is obtained.................................................................. 7‘Laying an information’ ........................................................................................ 7The sequence of events leading to the issue of a defendant summons ..................... 10Witness summons............................................................................................. 10Service of summons.......................................................................................... 11
Warrants ............................................................................................................... 12Types of warrant .................................................................................................... 13
Commitment warrant ........................................................................................ 13Arrest warrant .................................................................................................. 14European Arrest Warrant ................................................................................... 15
Issue of Warrants ................................................................................................... 16Section 1 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980....................................................... 16
Execution and Cancellation of Warrants..................................................................... 18Execution of arrest warrants............................................................................... 18Executing a warrant of arrest that has bail conditions ............................................ 19Cancelling an arrest warrant once it has been executed......................................... 19Things to consider before executing a warrant ...................................................... 19
Specimen certificates of service................................................................................ 23Specimen Warrant .................................................................................................. 24Specimen summons................................................................................................ 25Summary .............................................................................................................. 26Knowledge Check ................................................................................................... 27Knowledge Check Answers....................................................................................... 29
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Introduction
After reading these student notes, you will be able to state what a summons
is, outline the process leading to its issue and understand the methods of
service and the requirements placed on a constable in relation to its service.
You will understand how to serve a summons and know how to complete
the necessary documentation.
You will also be able to state the types of warrant and their purpose, the
reasons for issue and the processes involved. You will be able to describe
how a warrant of arrest, either with or without bail, should be executed.
You will also be able to explain the procedure for cancelling an arrest
warrant when it has been executed.
Summonses and warrants
Summonses and warrants are both important documents used in the
administration of justice.
A summons orders a person to attend court.
A warrant directs a constable and certain other persons (see below)
to carry out a specific action.
Most police forces employ Civilian Enforcement Officers (CEO) and Approved
Enforcement Agencies (AEA). These are referred to as ‘authorised officers’
and part of their role is to fulfil routine functions such as serving of
summonses or executing warrants.
As well as the police, authorised officers are empowered under Schedule 4A
of the Magistrate’s Court Act 1980 to serve summonses and execute
warrants.
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However, as a police officer you will also need to know the contents and
purposes of summonses and warrants. These notes will look at what
summonses and warrants actually are and the different types and their
purposes.
Practical points
As police officers you must always treat people with equal respect and you
should bear in mind, with these types of summons and warrant in
particular, that the person may have committed no offence at all, nor be
accused or suspected of any offence, or the offence which they have
committed may be a minor one.
For example, you may have to serve a summons on a witness who is
apprehensive about giving evidence in court, or you may have to be present
when a court official executes a distress warrant on a company which has
failed to pay a fine or its rates bill.
These summonses and warrants are discussed in detail below. As you
consider them, remember that the task of enforcing summonses and
warrants may be routine to us, but to the recipient it may involve distress,
anxiety and embarrassment.
If you conduct yourself sensitively and skilfully you should help to create an
atmosphere where the whole process will be smooth and efficient, with your
professionalism evident and any unpleasantness for the recipient minimised.
A defendant summons
A defendant summons is a written order, signed by a justice, a
magistrate or a clerk of the court, addressed to the accused person,
directing the named person to appear at a time and place specified in the
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summons to answer the offences detailed in it.
How a defendant summons is obtained.
In its simplest terms, the instigation of criminal proceedings can be brought
about by you, a police officer, arresting a person on the suspicion that they
have committed an offence. As a result, you charge the accused with that
offence with a view to requiring the accused person to appear before a
subsequent court hearing to answer to the charge.
Alternatively, you may identify that an offence has been committed either
by:
witnessing it, or
having a complaint made or reported to you,
and you consequently report the offender for summons.
During the course of your training, you will find that, dependent on the
offence committed, there are a number of ways you can deal with the
person responsible.
However, the basis of many criminal prosecutions that you will generate will
begin with you reporting for summons the person responsible. In this
way, you are formally notifying a person that you suspect them of having
committed the offence alleged and, as a result, the facts of the matter will
be reported, and may result in a defendant summons being issued to that
individual to appear at court to answer the allegations being made.
‘Laying an information’
The process involved in obtaining a warrant or summons is called ‘laying an
information’. This is done before a justice or justice’s clerk in the case of
a summons, or a justice or judge only in the case of a warrant of arrest.
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Although in the majority of cases it is the police, or someone acting on
behalf of the police, such as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who lay
an information – make application for a defendant summons - it is open to
anyone to apply.
An example would be the RSPCA in animal cruelty cases laying an
information – making application for a summons - to require an accused
person to appear before the court to answer the allegation made in the
summons.
As a police officer, ‘laying an information’ is the result of a sequence of
events that you instigate. For example, having detected or identified a
summary offence, you inform the offender either at the time or at some
later stage, that they are being reported for an offence, and complete your
pocket notebook with all the relevant evidence and facts.
You subsequently complete your force’s ‘offence’ or ‘process’ report,
which in many forces is a pro forma document which you have to complete,
accompanied by a statement made by you and any other relevant
documents or statements.
You should familiarise yourself with your own force’s ‘Offence’ or
‘Process’ Report.
Having completed your paperwork, and assuming it is correct and does not
need amending, your involvement in the case is complete until such a time
as either:
you are required to serve the summons, or
you are required to attend court to give evidence concerning the
case.
On the basis of the evidence and the circumstances of the offence as
specified in your report, your supervisors will decide if the case needs to be
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dealt with by the court. If this is the case, your report – ‘the information’
- is forwarded to the court for the area in which the offence was committed.
The application for a summons or information does not have to be physically
delivered into the hands of a justice or their clerk. In the vast majority of
cases it is posted to the court offices. Once received, it is then transmitted
to a justice or clerk to the justices for consideration that a summons be
issued. This, as regards a summons, is laying an information.
To summarise, a defendant summons is a requirement from a court to
attend and answer the allegations made in the summons concerning
offences the accused is alleged to have committed.
If a summons is to be successfully served, it is essential that the
correct information is obtained when dealing with suspected
offenders. There is a national minimum standard of offender information
which is required to ensure the person is who you think they are before
serving the summons. You must always ensure that you obtain the
person’s:
full name
full address, including post code
date of birth and,
wherever possible, a national insurance number
The following advice will also assist you:
Ask the person to spell any names which are unfamiliar to you or
have alternative spellings.
Refer to any document the person may be able to produce, such as a
driving licence or letter.
As a summons is usually served on a person at home, you should
establish whether you have been given a private or business address.
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A person may not wish their family or landlord to know that they
have been summoned, and they may either give their business
address or nominate an address where the summons may be served.
Ensure that the address provided is where a summons can be served.
This should be where the person will be for a sufficiently long period
to enable the summons to be served or at which another specified
person will accept the summons on behalf of the accused. For
example, a person may have no fixed address, but be in regular
contact with a social worker, priest, probation officer or member of
some voluntary organisation who would be prepared to accept the
summons.
The sequence of events leading to the issue of a
defendant summons
The sequence of events leading to the issue of a defendant summons can
be broken down as follows:
A person is seen committing an offence, or an allegation is made that
the person has committed an offence.
A constable informs the offender that he or she will be reported for
the offence.
A constable completes a pocket notebook entry.
A written report is submitted to a supervisory officer.
A decision is made as to prosecution, caution or no further action.
If the decision is to prosecute an application is made for a summons.
Witness summons
Usually a witness will be notified that they are required to attend court to
give evidence. Ensuring that witnesses attend court is necessary for the
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effective administration of justice and is directly relevant to the
Government’s targets of bringing more offences to justice and increasing
confidence in the criminal justice system. To assist in this process a court
can issue a summons to ensure that the witness attends court if two
conditions are met.
Firstly, if a person is likely to be able to give evidence likely to be
material evidence, or produce any document or thing likely to be
material evidence for the purpose of any criminal proceedings before
the court, and
Secondly, the court is satisfied that it is in the interests of justice to
do so.
In certain cases this will allow the court to issue a witness summons early in
the proceedings in order to pre-empt the likely non-attendance of a witness.
The witness summons will be an added instrument in securing the
attendance of a witness and can be applied for by both the defence and
prosecution. In many cases the summons will also act as a measure of
protection for a witness whose employer is reluctant to release them, or
who faces some degree of discouragement or low-level intimidation in the
community.
Service of summons
The actual summons must be served on the person specified in the
following ways:
by handing it to them personally. (If the individual to whom the
summons is addressed is 17 years of age or under, a copy of the
summons must be handed to their parent, or another appropriate
adult, unless no such person is readily available.)
(Rule 4.3 Criminal Procedure Rules (CPR) 2010)
by leaving it at an address where it is reasonably believed that they
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will receive it, or
(Rule 4.4 CPR 2010)
by posting it by first class post to an address where it is reasonably
believed they will receive it.
(Rule 4.4 CPR 2010)
A summons for an offence committed by a corporation may be served by
handing it to a person holding a senior position in that corporation.
If the court has no proof that the accused actually received the summons,
and the accused does not appear when directed, the procedure must be
repeated.
If you are handed a summons and told to serve it on the named person,
you should:
check it thoroughly for possible errors and return it to a supervisory
officer if it is incorrect
record in your pocket notebook that you have received the summons
serve it on the named person and endorse the back of the copy with
the date, method of service and your signature
record your actions in your pocket notebook
return the endorsed copy according to your local instructions
Warrants
A warrant is a written authority issued by a magistrate or a judge which
directs the person or persons to whom it is addressed to do some particular
act which is set out in the warrant.
Warrants that you use will generally be addressed to ‘all the constables’ in
your force area.
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You will find that most policing areas will have a central or designated office
from where all warrants are administered. It is important that if you believe
a person is wanted on warrant, you ensure that the individual is still
wanted, before executing your powers of arrest. This can be done by either
checking them on the PNC or enquiring through whatever system your force
operates for the administration of warrants.
In the majority of instances, therefore, the occasions when you will deal
with arrest warrants will usually be because:
you have had grounds to stop and check a person, and subsequently
PNC them, or
you have received information, e.g. a divisional intelligence bulletin,
to the effect that a person is wanted on warrant.
Types of warrant
There are a number of different types of warrant. The main ones that
concern the police are warrants for:
commitment or
arrest or
European arrest
Commitment warrant
When a person is committed to custody by a court, a warrant is issued
authorising the detention, usually in a prison. The warrant should specify
where the person is to be detained, although they may be taken to a police
station in the first instance to await transport to the place specified in the
warrant.
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Arrest warrant
Arrest warrants may be executed anywhere in the UK. For example, a
warrant originated in Scotland or Northern Ireland may be executed
anywhere in England. (Section 136(2) Criminal Justice and Public Order Act
1994).
A warrant to arrest a person may be issued for one of the following reasons.
Arrest for an offence. Where certain offences have been
committed or are alleged to have been committed, or the defendant’s
address is not sufficiently established for a summons to be served, an
arrest warrant may be issued.
Failure to answer a summons. A magistrate may issue a warrant
for the arrest of a person who in certain circumstances has failed to
appear at court in response to a summons.
Arrest for non-payment of a fine. Where a person has failed to pay a
fine following a conviction, a magistrate may issue an arrest warrant. If the
subject of a non payment warrant provides payment for the outstanding
balance of the warrant they should not be arrested. Local procedures
should be followed regarding issuing a receipt and lodging money. The
warrant should be endorsed that the outstanding balance has been obtained
and signed along with any receipt references. The warrant is then returned
to the court via your administration procedures.
It is very important that you adhere strictly to your own force and divisional
guidelines on the execution of non-payment of fines warrants.
This is particularly important when you consider that payment of
monies is required to prevent further action, such as further court
appearances or committal to prison.
The amounts of money concerned can be substantial, and you should
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seek guidance from your supervisor before you execute such
warrants.
For your information ‘authorised officers’ are also empowered to execute
any of the above warrants. However, it is highly unlikely that they will
encounter, or be expected to deal with, Extradition Warrants.
For a full list of the warrants that ‘authorised officers’ can deal with, refer to
s.125A, 125B and 125BA; Schedule 4A of the Magistrates’ Court Act 1980.
European Arrest Warrant
European arrest warrants (EAW) are issued to facilitate extraditions.
Extradition is the return of a wanted person from a country where they are
found, to the country where they are accused of, or have been convicted of,
a criminal offence. The Extradition Act 2003 simplifies procedures between
member states of the European Union.
When an EAW is issued, Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) inputs the
subject’s details on to the PNC and Home Office watch list. Officers
conducting person checks on the PNC may find that the subject of the check
is wanted for extradition to another country. Officers must only arrest for
extradition where there is a clear direction to do so on the PNC.
When a subject is located, it is strongly recommended that their arrest is
pre-planned and includes:
• Pre-arrest risk assessment
• Details of any domestic investigations to which the subject is linked
• Full identification package including, where possible, photographs and
fingerprints
• A search plan
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When making the arrest, it is imperative that the appropriate caution is
used. This is not an arrest under PACE and so the arresting officer should
state the following:
“You are under arrest under the Extradition Act 2003. You do not
have to say anything. Anything you do say may be given in
evidence.”
It is essential that the arresting officer fully informs the person of why they
are being arrested. It is not sufficient for the person just to be told that they
are wanted on an EAW.
It is also vital that the arresting officer establishes the identity of the person
they have arrested. They must be asked the following:
‘What is your name?’
‘What is your date of birth?’
The fact that these questions have been asked and their responses should
be recorded in the arresting officer’s statement.
If a search is conducted, any documents linked to identity should be bagged
separately from all other property.
The Extradition Act 2003 imposes a strict timeframe on the interval between
arrest and presentation at court for the initial hearing. All extradition cases
must be heard by an appropriate judge, all of whom are located at the City
of Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Issue of Warrants
Section 1 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980
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Section 1 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980 provides the procedure
whereby summons or warrant may be issued by the court.
1(1) On an information being laid before a justice of the peace that a
person has, or is suspected of having, committed an offence the justice may
issue:
a) a summons directed to that person requiring him to appear before
a magistrates' court to answer the information, or
b) a warrant to arrest that person and bring him before a
magistrates' court
1(3) No warrant shall be issued under this section unless the information
is in writing.
1(4) No warrant shall be issued under this section for the arrest of any
person who has attained the age of 18 years unless-
a) the offence to which the warrant relates is an indictable offence or is
punishable with imprisonment, or
b) the person's address is not sufficiently established for a summons to
be served on him.
1(6) Where the offence charged is an indictable offence, a warrant under
this section may be issued at any time notwithstanding that a summons has
previously been issued.
1(7) A justice of the peace may issue a summons or warrant under this
section upon an information being laid before him notwithstanding any
enactment requiring the information to be laid before two or more justices.
NOTES:
i. The officer executing a warrant should ALWAYS read and understand it
and ensure it has been signed by a Justice.
ii Arrest under a warrant (not backed for bail) will result in an offender
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being taken straight before a court (allowing for the normal opening
times of the Court). It MUST NOT BE USED as an additional method of
affecting the arrest of a suspect merely to achieve/effect his/her
detention for the purpose of an interview.
iii Where a suspect is outside England or Wales he may be arrested using
the cross-border powers if in Scotland or Northern Ireland, elsewhere in
the world extradition procedures must be employed.
(Section 137 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994)
iv An application for a summons or warrant is normally made 'ex parte' -
that is in the absence of the other party - in the case of a warrant before
a justice or if for a summons the Justices’ Clerk
(Where a person has been granted bail subject to a duty to appear before a
magistrates’ court, the court before which he is to appear may appoint a
later time as the time at which he is to appear and may enlarge the
recognisance of any sureties for him at that time)
Execution and Cancellation of Warrants
Execution of arrest warrants
When executing any arrest warrant you should proceed as follows:
Identify yourself, establish the identity of the accused, arrest and
caution them
When arresting, the officer must firstly explain, in ordinary language,
the charge and the reason for the arrest. Then either show the
relevant person the warrant, if they have it with them (but do not
hand the document over) or tell the relevant person where the
warrant is and what arrangements can be made to let the person
inspect it.
Endorse the back of the warrant.
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Make a record of the event in your pocket notebook.
Return the warrant to the court according to your local instructions.
Executing a warrant of arrest that has bail conditions
When executing a warrant of arrest that has bail conditions, you should
follow the procedure above, except that after arrest; the person is released
subject to a requirements to attend a specified Magistrates’ Court at a
specified time. This can take place at a police station or at the place of
arrest. After Identifying yourself and having established the identity of the
accused, you tell the accused that they need to attend court at the time and
place which is specified on the warrant. On demand of the person
concerned, you must show the warrant to that person as soon as possible,
but do not hand the document over. All the other stages that are shown
above should then be followed.
Cancelling an arrest warrant once it has been executed
It may also be necessary to ensure, if the person is shown on PNC as
‘wanted on warrant’, that this is also cancelled on PNC to show that the
warrant has been executed and the requirements of the warrant have been
discharged.
Be guided by your own force policy on how warrants shown on PNC are
cancelled and also who is responsible for doing it.
Things to consider before executing a warrant
Think for a moment about the things you should consider before you
execute warrants. Make a note of your ideas about what you should
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consider.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________
The things that you might consider could include the following common
sense checks. Compare your ideas with the following considerations:
Is the address on the warrant the same as the actual address that
you are at, e.g., is it number 1 or 1B? Going to the wrong address in
streets where the layout and numbering systems are confusing is not
uncommon. If the address is not clear on the form, what enquiries
could you make to establish the correct details?
The same checks should also apply to the person named in the
warrant. Again, it is not uncommon for parents to call their children
after themselves. The last thing we want is to be arresting the wrong
person. Do not forget that it may also be useful to check photograph
records and the PNC for any warning markers.
You must consider the best time of day for executing the warrant.
How would you have felt if the police had come to your house when
you were a child and taken your parent away? We should respect the
family’s feelings by executing the warrant at a time when the chance
of young children being around is at a minimum.
Obviously, there are occasions when the warrant must be served without
delay, but remember the need for a professional, sensitive approach,
bearing in mind that the persons subject to the warrants have sometimes
committed no offence at all, or have failed to pay fines for comparatively
minor offences. Non-payment of fines warrants are usually dealt with by
civilian enforcement officers from the courts.
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When you do go to execute a warrant, take time to speak to the person
first, check out all the information already discussed and go on to explain
the purpose of the warrant. The individual may well be feeling stressed,
without you adding to the problem by telling them they are going to be
arrested, without explaining the procedure involved.
Imagine the following scene for a moment.
You are in your house when there is a knock at the door. You are deeply in
debt and a few months ago you were convicted of drinking and driving and
fined £120. You answer the door and a police officer or enforcement officer
says to you, “I’ve got a warrant for your arrest, you haven’t paid a
fine.”
How would you feel and what would be your first reaction?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
The answer to this first question depends on the attitude of the officer
concerned, the tone of their voice and a host of other things. But when you
meet someone for the first time, you usually introduce yourself, don’t you?
What is different here?
You will want to know if there is any way of avoiding being arrested. If
arrest is inevitable, what happens afterwards? These are reasonable
concerns and if we, as police officers, are able to explain what is happening
in simple terms and reassure the person named, we are helping them and
smoothing the process. In short, these types of warrant often concern
people who are already subject to pressures, financial or emotional,
sometimes both.
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Always remember, though, that warrants such as those for non-payment of
maintenance have been issued because some other person is in an equally
unfortunate position.
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Example of a
certificate of
service in relation
to a warrant
Specimen certificates of service
At .............. (time) on ................................ (date)
I executed this warrant by arresting
...................................................................
and bailing him/her* in the terms of this warrant to attend
................................................................. Magistrates’ Court
on
............................... (date)
Signed:
........................................................................................
Rank & No:
.................................................................................
(* delete as applicable)
Example of a
certificate of
service in relation
to a summons
I certify that I served the person named herein with a
summons*/order*/document* of which this is a true copy (by
delivering it personally*) (leaving it at the last known place of
abode*) on
Signed:
.........................................................................................
Rank & No:
.................................................................................
(* delete as applicable)
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An example of
warrant
documentation
Specimen Warrant
WARRANT OF ARREST IN FIRST INSTANCE
Sandford Magistrates’ Court
Date 14th August 2009
Accused Geoffrey BINNS
Address 18 Byron Crescent
Sandford
Westshire
Alleged Offence That you, in Sandford in the County of Westshire,
on Saturday, 11th July 2009 did steal a transistor
radio, valued at £25.00, the property of Mark
Taylor.
Contrary to Sections 1-7 Theft Act 1968.
Information having this day been laid before me
on oath by David Thomas, Inspector of Police that
the accused committed the above offence.
Direction You, the Constables of Westshire Constabulary
are hereby required to arrest the accused and to
bring the accused before the above Magistrates’
Court immediately unless the accused is released
on bail as directed below.
Bail On arrest, the accused shall be released on bail,
and with a duty to surrender to the custody of the
above Magistrates’ Court at 10.00 a.m. on
Tuesday, 25th August 2009.
Justice of the Peace
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An example of
summons
documentation
Specimen summons
Sandford Magistrates’ Court
Geoffrey BINNS
18 Byron Crescent
Sandford
Westshire
14th August 2009
Information
Inspector David Thomas of Westshire Constabulary states that:
You, in Sandford in the County of Westshire on Saturday, 11th
July 2009 did steal a transistor radio, valued at £25.00, the
property of Mark Taylor.
Contrary to Section 1-7 Theft Act 1968.
Summons
You are therefore summoned to appear before the Magistrates’ Court
to answer the information at The Law Courts, West Bell Street,
Sandford at 10.00 a.m. on Friday, 14th August 2009
Dated the 25th July 2009
Justice of the Peace
Student Notes IPLDP Central AuthorityExecutive Services
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Summary
After reading these student notes, you are now be able to state what
a summons is, outline the process leading to its issue and understand
the methods of service and the requirements placed on a constable in
relation to its service. You now understand how to serve a summons
and know how to complete the necessary documentation.
You will also be able to state the types of warrant and their purpose,
the reasons for issue, the processes involved and how to execute
them.
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Knowledge Check
1. A summons orders a person to attend court.
True False
2. Complete the following statement to show what information is
contained within a defendant summons:
A summons is a written order signed by a justice, a magistrate
or __________________ addressed to the
________________, directing the named person to appear at
a _________ and _________ specified in the summons to
answer the offences detailed in it.
3. What are the three methods by which a summons may be
served on an individual?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
4. Summarise the purpose of a commitment warrant.
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
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5. What are the four reasons for a warrant of arrest being issued?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
6. On this page, draw a flowchart to show how to execute a
warrant of arrest. This first stage is done for you.
(a) identify yourself, establish the identity of the accused,
arrest and caution them
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Knowledge Check Answers
1. A summons orders a person to attend court.
True False
2. Complete the following statement to show what
information is contained within a defendant summons:
A defendant summons is a written order signed by a justice, a
magistrate or a clerk of the court, addressed to the accused
person, directing the named person to appear at a time and
place specified in the summons to answer the offences
detailed in it.
3. What are the three methods by which a summons may
be served on an individual?
The actual summons may be served on the person specified in
the following ways:
by handing it to them personally. (If the individual to
whom the summons is addressed is 17 years of age or
under, a copy of the summons must be handed to their
parent, or another appropriate adult, unless no such
person is readily available.)
by leaving it at an address where it is reasonably
believed that he or she will receive it, or
by posting it by first class post to an address where it is
reasonably believed they will receive it.
(A summons for an offence committed by a corporation may be
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served by handing it to a person holding a senior position in that
corporation
4. Summarise the purpose of a commitment warrant.
Your answer should include some of the following key points.
When a person is committed in custody by a court, a warrant
is issued authorising the detention, usually in a prison. The
warrant should specify where the person is to be detained,
although they may be taken to a police station in the first
instance to await transport to the place specified in the
warrant.
5. What are the four reasons for a warrant of arrest being
issued?
Arrest for an offence
Failure to answer a summons
Extradition Warrant
Arrest for a non-payment of a fine
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6. On this page, draw a flowchart to show how to execute
a warrant of arrest.
Identify yourself, establish the identity of the accused, arrest
and caution them
When arresting, the officer must firstly explain, in ordinary
language, the charge and the reason for the arrest, then either
show the relevant person the warrant (if they have it with
them) or tell the relevant person where the warrant is and
what arrangements can be made to let the person inspect it.
Endorse the back of the warrant.
Make a record of the event in your pocket notebook.
Return the warrant according to your local instructions.