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AO 83

Summons in a Criminal Case

Federal · United States Courts · Effective June 1, 2009

This form is a legal notice that tells a person they are required to appear in a federal district court. It informs the person about the specific offense or violation they are being charged with.

Open the official PDFfrom United States Courts

Where this fits in a case

Start a case

Stage: Start a case

This form is used by the court system to officially notify a defendant that they have been charged with a crime and must appear before the court on a specific date and time.

Prepared by the court or clerk.

Common questions

What is this form for?
This form is a summons that tells someone they must appear in a federal district court to answer charges for an offense or violation.
Who fills out the service part?
The 'Proof of Service' section is filled out by the person who delivers the summons to the defendant.
Does this form need to be filed with the court?
The second page, which has personal identifiers, should not be filed in court with the summons unless it is kept secret (under seal).

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect June 1, 2009.

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