A Summons is a document or writ directing the sheriff or other officer to notify a person that an action has been commenced against that individual and that he or she is required to appear, on a certain day, and answer the complaint in such action.
What is substituted service?
If a party appears to be avoiding service of court documents, a request may be made with the court to, instead of personal service (i.e. giving the document directly to the person), that the document be published in a local newspaper, served on a person believed to frequent the person or mailed to his (or her) last known address.