Legal Definitions - alias summons

An alias summons is a second summons that is issued after the original summons has failed for some reason. A summons is a legal document that requires a person to appear in court or respond to a legal action.

For example, if a defendant fails to appear in court after being served with a summons, the court may issue an alias summons to ensure that the defendant is properly notified of the legal action and required to appear in court.

Another example of an alias summons is a John Doe summons, which is a summons to a person whose name is unknown at the time of service. This type of summons is often used in tax cases, where the Internal Revenue Service may issue a summons to a third party to provide information on an unnamed, unknown taxpayer with potential tax liability.

Overall, an alias summons is a legal tool used to ensure that all parties involved in a legal action are properly notified and required to appear in court or respond to the legal action.