Cal. Civ. Code § 534.070
Complaint and summons — court date assigned, when
Operative Text
1. When complaint to the circuit court of the proper county shall be made in writing, signed by the party aggrieved, his agent or attorney, and sworn to, specifying the lands, tenements or other possessions so forcibly entered and detained, or unlawfully detained, and by whom and when done, it shall be the duty of the clerk of the court to issue a summons directed to the sheriff or proper officer of the county, commanding him to summon the person against whom the complaint shall have been made to appear, at a day in such summons to be specified. 2. A court date shall be assigned at the time the summons is issued. The court date shall be for a day certain which is not more than twenty-one business days from the date the summons is issued unless, at the time the case is filed, the plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney consents in writing to a later date.
Missouri Revised Statutes § 534.070 establishes the procedural steps for initiating a court action involving the forcible or unlawful detention of property. A written, sworn complaint must be filed with the circuit court identifying the property, the alleged wrongdoer, and the timing of the conduct, after which the court clerk issues a summons to bring the opposing party before the court. Once the summons is issued, a hearing date must be set for a specific day no more than twenty-one business days out, unless the filing party agrees in writing to a later date.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 534.070, landlords or their agents who seek to recover possession of property through the circuit court generally file a written, sworn complaint that clearly identifies the property and the nature of the alleged unlawful detention. Compliant operators ensure the complaint is signed and properly sworn before submission to the clerk, who will then issue a summons and assign a court date. Because the hearing is typically scheduled within twenty-one business days of summons issuance, property managers generally prepare their documentation and evidence promptly after filing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 534.070 governs how a landlord formally initiates a court proceeding against a tenant by filing a sworn written complaint and obtaining a summons from the circuit court clerk. Once a summons is issued, a tenant can expect a court date to be set within twenty-one business days, giving them a defined window to prepare a response. Tenants who receive a summons under this provision may benefit from reviewing the complaint for accuracy, consulting a tenant-rights organization, or seeking legal assistance to understand available defenses before the scheduled court date.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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