Rule 3. The Summons

(a) Content. The summons shall consist of a listing of the civil violations alleged by the issuing officer and a requirement that the defendant appear in court on the date and time and at the place indicated thereon. For the purposes of these rules, the terms "ticket," "citation," "eCitation," and "summons" are synonymous and may be used interchangeably. The content and form of the summons and eCitation shall be prescribed by the chief magistrate of the traffic tribunal, subject to the approval of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

(b) Signature and Service. The summons shall be signed by the issuing officer alleging that the facts contained therein are true, and served upon the defendant in person or by mailing the summons to the defendant as set forth in Rule 33, which shall be sufficient proof of actual notice in adjudications of civil violations of the motor vehicle code or other applicable statute to justify the entry of a default judgment in all cases where the defendant fails to appear in court on the date and time and at the place indicated thereon.

(c) Mandatory Hearing and Administrative Payments. The issuing officer shall note on the summons whether the violation requires a hearing or is one which may be eligible to be paid administratively pursuant to law. If eligible for administrative payment, the officer shall also note on the summons the full amount of the fine[s] required to be paid.

(d) Notice of Violation. A summons which provides the defendant and the court with adequate notice of the violation being charged shall be sufficient if the violation is charged by using the name given to the violation by statute. The summons shall state for each count the official or customary citation of any statute that the defendant is alleged to have violated. An error or omission in the summons shall not be grounds for a reduction in the fine owed, for dismissal of the charged violation(s), or for reversal of a conviction if the error or omission did not mislead the defendant to his or her prejudice.

(e) Amendment of the Summons. A summons may be amended by leave of court, by written consent of the adverse party, or at hearing; and leave shall be freely given when justice so requires.