HRS §805-3
When a judge can send a summons instead of an arrest
This section lets a district judge decide to send a summons (a written order to appear in court) instead of ordering an arrest, if the charge is not serious and the person is unlikely to run away. The summons tells the person what they are accused of and when to come to court. It warns that ignoring the summons can lead to being held in contempt.
courts
The statute, as written — Summons in what cases
Where, from the complaint, it appears to the district judge that the offense charged therein is not of a serious nature, or not one for which a severe penalty should be imposed, and where the person complained against is so situated as to raise no presumption of the person's attempting to elude justice in the premises, the district judge may, in the district judge's discretion (unless the complainant in writing requests the immediate arrest of the alleged offender), issue the district judge's summons, wherein shall be recited the substance of the complaint, commanding the alleged offender to appear before the district judge upon a time to be therein stated, not less than twenty-four hours from the time of service of summons, and then and there to answer the charge. The summons shall contain a warning to the person summoned that failure to obey the same will render the person liable to attachment for contempt.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.