(a) In any case in which a peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed or is committing a misdemeanor, he or she may issue a summons to the person substantially in the following form:
(Summons)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
To ................................
You are hereby summoned to appear before a judge of the District Court for the ......................... located at .................. in the (City)(Town) of .................., in the State of Rhode Island, on the ....... day of .................., 20 ..... at ........ o'clock ........ m., to answer to a complaint charging you with the crime of ........ in violation of [statute, ordinance, etc.]
If you fail to appear and answer, a warrant will issue for your arrest.
Dated at ........ the ....... day of ............... 20 .....
Title .......................
Department ...............
(b) Willful failure to appear in answer to this summons may be punished by a fine of not over fifty dollars ($50.00) or imprisonment for not over fifteen (15) days.
History of Section.
G.L. 1938, ch. 625, § 68; P.L. 1941, ch. 982, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 12-7-11; P.L. 1972, ch. 169, § 16; P.L. 1977, ch. 66, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 77, § 12, effective June 23, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 78, § 12, effective June 23, 2021.