Citation

A writ issued out of a court of competent jurisdiction, commanding a person therein named to appear on a day named and do something therein mentioned, or show cause why he should not. Proctor, Pract The act by which a person is so summoned or cited. In the ecclesiastical law, the citation is the beginning and foundation of the whole cause, and is said to have six requisites, namely: the insertion of the name of the judge, of the promovert, of the impugnant, of the cause of suit, of the place, and of the time of appearance; to which may be added the affixing the seal of the court, and the name of the register or his deputy.

1 Brown, Civ. Law 453, 454; Ayliffe, Parerg. xliii.

175; Hall, Adm. Pr. 5; Merlin, Rep. The process issued in courts of probate and admiralty courts. It is usually the original process in any proceeding where used, and is in that respect analogous to the writ of capias or summons at law, and the subpoena in chancery.