Summons for calling (Court of Session) meaning

In Scottish Court of Session practice, a summons for calling is the step that brings a served summons onto the court roll so the case timetable formally starts. The pursuer lodges the summons at court with a calling slip and a certificate evidencing effective service on the defender. If effective service is shown and the statutory period of notice (induciae, usually 21 days) has expired, the summons will “call” two days after it is lodged for calling. When it calls, it appears on the calling list in the Rolls of Court. Calling triggers the procedural deadlines for the defender to enter appearance/notify intention to defend and to lodge defences in accordance with the Rules of the Court of Session. Failure may allow the pursuer to seek decree in absence. The term reflects procedural rules rather than a definition in primary legislation; it is specific to civil procedure in Scotland’s Court of Session. There is no direct equivalent terminology in England and Wales, Northern Ireland or Ireland, where issue and service of proceedings, acknowledgement/appearance and listing are governed by different rules and “calling” is not used in this sense.