Well, a "summary offence" is also known as a "petty crime", a minor offence, which doesn't require a trial or other extended formalities neccessary to punish a severe crime with imprisonment or a fine. Usually, the imprisonment sentence for a “summary offence†is shorter and limited, to six month for example - and the inflicted fines are lower than those for more severe crimes.
The sentence for a “summary offence†may be fixed in a catalogue.
What's significant for the term "summary" is that the proceedings for a "summary offence" are much shorter and with less formalities than those for other crimes. What is a "summary offence" and what is not is handled differently in different countries. You can find a detailed explanation about that topic in the English edition of Wikipedia.
Posts: 5
29 June 2010