SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FAMILY COURT
Domestic Relations Branch
MOTION TO SERVE BY PUBLICATION OR POSTING
I, _________________________________, am the Plaintiff in this case.
PRINT YOUR NAME
1. I have attempted to serve the Defendant with notice of this case.
2. I have been unable to find the Defendant.
3. I believe that the Defendant is a non-resident of the District of Columbia or that the
Defendant has been absent from the District of Columbia for at least six months.
4. I believe the Defendant cannot be found because I have made diligent efforts to discover the
whereabouts of the Defendant. My efforts include looking for information about the Defendant’s
current address, last known address and last known employer; information from other people
who know the Defendant; information about the Defendant from jails, prisons and the military;
and other efforts.
[YOU MUST TRY YOUR BEST TO COMPLETE STEPS 1 18]
________________________________________
PRINT YOUR NAME
PLAINTIFF,
v.
_________________________________
PRINT THE OTHER PARTYS NAME
DEFENDANT.
______ DRB _______________
Judge ___________________
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 1 of 12
Information About the Defendant’s Current Address
[YOU MUST TRY TO COMPLETE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS]
1. I do not know the Defendant’s current home address or telephone number.
2. I last had contact with the Defendant on _______________________________________
PRINT DATE OF LAST CONTACT
3. My last contact with the Defendant was
in person at _____________________________________________________
PRINT ADDRESS OR PLACE WHERE YOU LAST HAD CONTACT
by telephone at __________________________________________________
IF YOU CALLED THE DEFENDANT, PRINT THE NUMBER YOU CALLED
4. The Defendant and I have never lived together.
OR
The Defendant and I last lived together on _________________________ at this address:
PRINT DATE
__________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS
__________________________________________________________________
CITY STATE ZIP
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 2 of 12
Information About the Defendant’s Last Known Address & Telephone
[YOU MUST TRY TO COMPLETE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS]
5. The Defendant’s last known home address is
__________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS
__________________________________________________________________
CITY STATE ZIP
6. I mailed the Summons and Complaint to the Defendant at the last known address by
“certified mail, return receipt requested” on___________________________________________
PRINT DATE
The post office sent the return receipt to me unsigned or marked “not found.”
The post office never sent the return receipt to me.
7. The Defendant’s last known telephone number is ________________________________
PRINT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER
8. I called the Defendant’s last known telephone number on _________________________
PRINT DATE YOU CALLED
9. When I called the last known telephone number, this is what happened:
10. I called “411” and asked for the Defendant’s telephone number on _________________
PRINT DATE
The “411” operator told me there was no listing for the Defendant.
The “411” operator gave me this telephone number: ___________________
PRINT NUMBER FROM “411”
When I called the number from “411,” this is what happened:
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 3 of 12
Information About the Defendant’s Last Known Employer
[YOU MUST TRY TO COMPLETE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS]
11. The Defendant’s last known employer is
__________________________________________________________________
COMPANY NAME
__________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS
__________________________________________________________________
CITY STATE ZIP
12. I contacted the Defendant’s last known employer on _____________________________
PRINT DATE YOU CONTACTED EMPLOYER
13. When I spoke to the last known employer, this is what happened:
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 4 of 12
Information From Other People Who Know the Defendant
[YOU MUST TRY TO COMPLETE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS]
14. I tried to contact the Defendant’s relatives or friends in person, by telephone or by mail.
The person I contacted was…
The contact was…
This is what happened…
name:
relationship to Defendant:
in person
by telephone
by mail
on this date:
name:
relationship to Defendant:
in person
by telephone
by mail
on this date:
name:
relationship to Defendant:
in person
by telephone
by mail
on this date:
name:
relationship to Defendant:
in person
by telephone
by mail
on this date:
name:
relationship to Defendant:
in person
by telephone
by mail
on this date:
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 5 of 12
Information From Jails and Prisons About the Defendant
[YOU MUST TRY TO COMPLETE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS]
15. I called these jails and prisons to find out if the Defendant is incarcerated or on parole.
Contact
This is what happened…
or
www.bop.gov (Click on
“Inmate Locator” on right side
of screen)
I called on this date:
I searched the website,
printed the search results
and am attaching a copy to
this Motion.
The Bureau of Prisons told
me:
Correctional Treatment
Facility (202) 790-6601
I called on this date:
The Correctional Treatment
Facility told me:
I called on this date:
The DC Jail told me:
I called on this date:
The US Parole Commission
told me:
or
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 6 of 12
Information From the Military About the Defendant
[YOU MUST TRY TO COMPLETE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS]
16.
I know the defendant’s social security number or date of birth, and I ran a Service
Members Civil Relief Act web search online at https://scra.dmdc.osd.mil/. I am attaching the
certificate generated by that website indicating defendant is not a current member of any branch
of the military.
17. I sent a letter to various branches of the military to find out if the Defendant is in the
military. I am attaching copies of the letters I sent and any replies that I got.
Branch of Military
Contact
This is what happened…
Navy World Wide Locator
Navy Personnel Command
PERS 1
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055
(866) 882-5672
Note: See instructions at
http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-
npc/organization/npc/csc/Pages/NavyLocatorService.aspx
I wrote a letter
and I am attaching a
copy of my letter to
this Motion.
I got a letter back from the
Navy and I am attaching a
copy to this Motion.
The Navy never replied to
my letter.
US Air Force Worldwide Locator
AFPC/DP1ORM
550 C St West
JBSA - Randolph, TX 78150
(210) 565-2660
Note: See instructions at
http://www.afpc.af.mil/library/airforcelocator.asp
I wrote a letter
and I am attaching a
copy of my letter to
this Motion.
I got a letter back from the
Air Force and I am attaching a
copy to this Motion.
The Air Force never
replied to my letter.
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 7 of 12
Marine Corps Worldwide Locator
HQ US Marine Corps
Personnel Mgmt Support Branch
MMSB-17
2008 Elliot Road
Quantico, VA 22134-5030
(703) 784-3941
I wrote a letter
and I am attaching a
copy of my letter to
this Motion.
I got a letter back from the
Marine Corps and I am
attaching a copy to this
Motion.
The Marine Corps never
replied to my letter.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
Commissioned Personnel Center
1315 East-West Highway
Room 12100
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 713-3444
NOTE: THIS IS FREE FOR EVERYONE
I wrote a letter
and I am attaching a
copy of my letter to
this Motion.
I got a letter back from the
NOAA and I am attaching a
copy to this Motion.
The NOAA never replied
to my letter.
Public Health Service
Office of Commissioned Corps
1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20852
(240) 453-6000
NOTE: THIS IS FREE FOR EVERYONE
I wrote a letter
and I am attaching a
copy of my letter to
this Motion.
I got a letter back from the
Public Health Service and I am
attaching a copy to this
Motion.
The Public Health Service
never replied to my letter.
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 8 of 12
Other Information About Your Search for the Defendant
[YOU MUST TRY TO COMPLETE EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS]
18. I also tried to find the Defendant by doing these other things:
Request to Post Notice in Clerk’s Office Instead of in the Newspaper
[COMPLETE THIS SECTION ONLY IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO PUBLSH A NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER]
IF THE JUDGE GRANTS THIS MOTION, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO NOTIFY THE DEFENDANT ABOUT THIS
CASE:
* PUBLICATION MEANS THAT YOU WILL PAYA NEWSPAPER TO PUBLISH A NOTICE.
* POSTING MEANS THAT A NOTICE WILL BE POSTED AT THE COURTHOUSE. POSTING IS FREE, BUT
IT IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO PUBLISH A NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER.
If I have to pay to publish a notice in the newspaper, it will cause me a substantial hardship
because:
I have already been allowed to file this case without paying any
fees (IFP).
or
I cannot afford to pay to publish a notice in the newspaper for the following
reasons [EXPLAIN WHY YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO PUBLISH A NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER,
INCLUDING DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR INCOME AND EXPENSES]:
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 9 of 12
Request for Relief
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST that [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
the Court allow me to serve the Defendant by publishing a notice in the newspaper.
the Court allow me to serve the Defendant by posting a notice in the Domestic
Relations Clerk’s Office.
Other
I ALSO REQUEST that the Court award any other relief it considers fair and proper.
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 10 of 12
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
If this document is to be signed outside the geographic boundaries of the United States, Puerto
Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and any territory or insular possession subject to the
jurisdiction of the United States, additional requirements must be met prior to signing.
See Super. Ct. Dom. Rel. R. 2(c)(1)(B).
____________________________________
SIGN YOUR NAME
____________________________________
PRINT YOUR NAME
____________________________________
HOME ADDRESS 1
____________________________________
HOME ADDRESS 2
SUBSTITUTE ADDRESS: CHECK BOX IF YOU
HAVE WRITTEN SOMEONE ELSES ADDRESS
BECAUSE YOU FEAR HARASSMENT OR HARM.
____________________________________
DATE
____________________________________
PHONE NUMBER
____________________________________
EMAIL ADDRESS
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 11 of 12
. Add slashes to either side /like this/ to sign electonically.
POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF MOTION
In support of this Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting, I refer to:
1. Super. Ct. Dom. Rel. R. 4(g) and 7(b).
2. D.C. Code §§ 13-336, 13-338-40 and 16-4601.07(a).
3. Bearstop v. Bearstop, 377 A.2d 405 (D.C. 1977); Cruz v. Sarmiento, 737 A.2d
1021 (D.C. 1999).
4. The record in this case.
5. The attached supporting document(s).
[LIST ANY DOCUMENTS THAT YOU ARE ATTACHING]
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 08/2020)
Motion to Serve by Publication or Posting - Page 12 of 12