The summons shall be signed by the clerk, dated the day it is issued, be under the seal of the court, contain the name of the court and the names of the parties, and be directed to the defendant, stating the name and address of the plaintiff’s attorney, if any; otherwise the plaintiff’s address. It also shall state the time within which and the place where the defendant is required to appear and defend as provided by law and shall notify the defendant that in case of failure to do so judgment by default will be entered against the defendant for the relief demanded in the petition.
Rule 54.02.Summons Shall Be Signed By Clerk.
Part I · Rule 54: Issuance and Service of Summons or Other Process · Last amended January 1, 1994 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThe summons must be signed by the clerk, dated, sealed, and addressed to the defendant with the required case and attorney information, and it must warn the defendant that failing to appear and defend will lead to a default judgment.
Full Text of Rule 54.02
Amendment History
Adopted Jan. 19, 1973, eff. Sept. 1, 1973. Amended Sept. 28, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994.
Official Comment
This is substantially the same as prior Rule 54.02. Compare: Rule 4(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 54.02 spells out what must appear on the face of every summons. It has to be signed by the clerk and dated with the day it was issued, and it must carry the court’s seal. That combination — signature, date, seal — marks the document as an authentic act of the court, not something a private party drafted on their own.
The summons must also identify the court and name the parties, and it must be directed to the defendant. It has to give the defendant either the name and address of the plaintiff’s attorney, if the plaintiff has one, or the plaintiff’s own address if not. That gives the defendant a place to send an answer or route later filings.
Beyond identification, the summons has to tell the defendant what is expected: the deadline for appearing and defending, and where to do so, as the law provides. And it must carry a warning — that if the defendant fails to appear and defend, a default judgment can be entered for the relief the petition demands. That warning is what puts a defendant on notice of the real stakes of ignoring the papers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must appear on a valid Missouri summons?
It must be signed by the clerk, dated the day it is issued, carry the court’s seal, name the court and the parties, and be directed to the defendant.
Whose contact information does the summons list?
It states the name and address of the plaintiff’s attorney if the plaintiff has one, or the plaintiff’s own address if the plaintiff has no attorney.
Does the summons tell the defendant a deadline?
Yes. It states the time within which and the place where the defendant must appear and defend, as provided by law.
What happens if the defendant ignores the summons?
The summons itself warns that if the defendant fails to appear and defend, a default judgment will be entered against the defendant for the relief demanded in the petition.
Who signs the summons?
The clerk signs it, which is part of what makes it a valid court document and not something either party could produce alone.
Does the summons need the court’s seal to be valid?
Yes, the rule requires the summons to be under the seal of the court along with the clerk’s signature and the date of issuance.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Missouri State & Federal Court Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Missouri. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: summons requirementscontents of a summonssummons formdefault judgment warningclerk signature summons