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Wash. Juv. Ct. R. 7.5

Issuance of Summons or Warrant

activein force · 1978-07-01 – presentact-effective-date

(a) Generally. When an information is filed, the court may direct the clerk to command

the juvenile and others to appear at a specified time and place by the issuance of a summons, or

the court may direct the clerk to issue a warrant for the arrest of the juvenile, or the court may

direct the clerk to notify the juvenile and others by other methods approved by local court rule.

(b) Summons Preferred; Warrant Used Only Upon Showing of Probable Cause. If the

information charges only the commission of a misdemeanor or a gross misdemeanor, the court

shall direct the clerk to command the presence of the juvenile by the issuance of a summons or

other method approved by local court rule instead of a warrant, unless the court finds probable

cause to believe that the juvenile would not appear in response to the command or probable cause

to believe that the arrest is necessary to prevent serious bodily harm to the juvenile or another, or

serious loss of or harm to property, in which case the court may issue a warrant. A warrant of

arrest must be supported by an affidavit or sworn testimony, which shall be recorded

electronically or stenographically, establishing the grounds for issuing the warrant. The finding of

probable cause may be based on evidence that is hearsay in whole or in part.

(c) Requirements of a Summons.

(1) Generally. [Reserved. See RCW 13.40.100.]

(2) Additional Contents of a Summons Directed to Juvenile. A summons directed to a

juvenile shall contain the following advisement:

Right to Lawyer

1. You have the right to talk to a lawyer, and if you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be

appointed for you.

2. A lawyer can look at the social and legal files in your case, talk to the people involved in

the offense proceeding, tell you about the law, help you understand your rights and the possible

consequences of being found to be a juvenile offender, prepare any defense that you may have,

and present to the court possible sentences should you be found guilty.

(d) Service and Return of Summons.

(1) Service. A summons may be served as provided in RCW 13.40.100, or it may be served

by mailing the summons, postage prepaid, to the person named in the summons.

(2) Return. The person to whom a summons has been delivered shall, on or before the

return date, file a return thereof with the judge before whom the summons is returnable.

(e) Failure To Appear in Response to Summons. [Reserved. See RCW 13.40.100.]

(f) Requirements of a Warrant. The warrant shall be in writing and in the name of the

State of Washington, shall be signed by the clerk with the title of his or her office, and shall state

when issued and the county where issued. It shall specify the name of the juvenile, or if his or her

name is unknown, any name or description by which the juvenile can be identified with

reasonable certainty. The warrant shall specify the offense charged and shall command that the

juvenile be arrested and brought forthwith before the court issuing the warrant. The court issuing

the warrant shall set forth on the warrant the conditions for release, including bail, pursuant to

RCW 13.40.040.

(g) Execution and Return of Warrant.

(1) Execution. The warrant shall be directed to all peace officers in the state or to probation

counselors authorized to serve process pursuant to RCW 13.04.040. The warrant shall be

executed only by a peace officer or probation counselor.

(2) Return. The officer executing a warrant shall make a return thereof to the court before

whom the juvenile is brought pursuant to these rules. At the request of the prosecuting attorney

any unexecuted warrant shall be returned to the juvenile court and canceled. For reasonable

cause, the court itself may order that the warrant be returned to the court.

(h) Defective Summons or Warrant.

(1) Amendment. No juvenile appearing in response to a summons or arrested under a

warrant shall be discharged from custody or dismissed because of any irregularity in the

summons or warrant, but the summons or warrant may be amended to remedy any such

irregularity.

(2) Issuance of New Summons or Warrant. If, during the preliminary examination of any

juvenile appearing in response to the summons or arrested under a warrant, it appears that the

warrant or summons does not properly name or describe the juvenile or the offense charged, or

that although not guilty of the offense specified in the summons or warrant, there is reasonable

ground to believe that the juvenile is guilty of some other offense, the judge shall not discharge

or dismiss the juvenile but may allow a new information to be filed and shall thereupon issue a

new summons or warrant.

History

[Adopted effective July 1, 1978.]

Provenance

Source
www.courts.wa.gov
Retrieved
2026-09-16
Edition
2026-09-16
Content hash
b28b15f15cbf0dcff1553625b7989a3b2d69402a339f8cb462abd6165bd88cfc
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Wash. Juv. Ct. R. 7.5 — Issuance of Summons or Warrant · binding.law