If a defendant does not respond to a criminal summons, what is issued?

If a defendant does not respond to a criminal summons, what is issued?

• A. A bench warrant
• B. A protective order
• C. An arrest warrant
• D. A second summons

Answer: (C)

A summons is an order to appear in court, so when a defendant does not respond, the court steps up to compel attendance by issuing an arrest warrant. This formal command lets law enforcement arrest the person so they can be brought before the court to address the charges. A protective order is unrelated to failing to appear in court, as it governs safety or contact between individuals. A second summons isn’t used because the defendant already failed to respond to the first notice; the appropriate remedy is to arrest and bring them in for further proceedings.

A summons is an order to appear in court, so when a defendant does not respond, the court steps up to compel attendance by issuing an arrest warrant. This formal command lets law enforcement arrest the person so they can be brought before the court to address the charges. A protective order is unrelated to failing to appear in court, as it governs safety or contact between individuals. A second summons isn’t used because the defendant already failed to respond to the first notice; the appropriate remedy is to arrest and bring them in for further proceedings.