Civil actions in the several justices' courts of this state may be instituted either by the voluntary appearance and agreement of the parties, by the service of a summons, or by the service upon the defendant of a true copy of the complaint and notice, which notice shall be attached to the copy of the complaint and cite the defendant to be and appear before the justice at the time and place therein specified, which shall not be less than six nor more than twenty days from the date of filing the complaint.