Who delivers a summons?

• A. A sheriff or any other person authorized by law to serve summons
• B. The judge
• C. The defendant
• D. The court clerk

Answer: (C)

Delivering a summons is part of service of process. The person who must deliver it is typically a sheriff or another individual authorized by law to serve summons. They physically hand the summons to the defendant or deliver it in the legally allowed manner and then file proof of service. The judge does not deliver the summons, and the defendant is not the one who serves it. The court clerk generally handles issuing and preparing the summons, but the actual delivery is carried out by an authorized server. This requirement ensures proper notice to the defendant and upholds due process, giving the defendant a fair opportunity to respond. In many places, private process servers or constables may perform service as long as they are authorized by law.