[1977 Code, § 1-604]
When a complaint of an alleged ordinance violation is made to the city judge, the judge may in his discretion, in lieu of issuing an arrest warrant, issue a summons ordering the alleged offender personally to appear before the city court at a time specified therein to answer to the charges against him. The summons shall contain a brief description of the offense charged but need not set out verbatim the provisions of the municipal code or ordinance alleged to have been violated. Upon failure of any person to appear before the city court as commanded in a summons lawfully served on him, the cause may be proceeded with ex parte, and the judgment of the court shall be valid and binding subject to the defendant's right of appeal.
Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated, § 7-63-101, et seq., the board of commissioners appoints the building inspector special police officer having the authority to issue citations in lieu of arrest to any person who violates an ordinance of the City of Collegedale in his presence.
The citation in lieu of arrest shall contain the name and address of the person being cited and such other information necessary to identify and give the person cited notice of the charges against him, and state a specific date and place for the offender to appear and answer the charges against him. The citation shall also contain an agreement to appear, which shall be signed by the offender. If the offender refuses to sign the agreement to appear, the special office in whose presence the offense was committed shall immediately arrest the offender and dispose of him in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated, § 7-63-104.
It shall be unlawful for any person to violate his agreement to appear in court, regardless of the disposition of the charge for which the citation in lieu of arrest was issued.
[1977 Code, § 1-605]
The city judge may subpoena as witnesses all persons whose testimony he believes will be relevant and material to matters coming before his court, and it shall be unlawful for any person lawfully served with such a subpoena to fail or neglect to comply therewith.