Service of Your Complaint: Domestic Relations Rule 4
You start a case by filing papers called a complaint at the Family Court Central Intake Center. When you file
a complaint, the Family Court Central Intake Center will give you a summons. A summons is a paper that you
must give to the person you are filing against. The person you file against is called an opposing party or other
party. You must make sure that the opposing party gets a copy of the summons and your complaint and any
orders. This is called service of your complaint. You cannot give the papers to the opposing party yourself;
someone else must give them to the opposing party. The chart below gives instructions on how to serve the
complaint and summons.
After you make sure that someone else gives the papers to the other party, you must prove to the Court that you
did this. You can prove this to the Court by filing an Affidavit of Service form. You must serve the papers and
file an Affidavit of Service form within 60 days after you file your complaint. If you have questions about
serving these documents, go to the Family Court Self Help Center at DC Superior Court or visit
www.LawHelp.org/DC.
Remember to always keep a copy of the papers for yourself. And, you may need to make more copies to serve
the other party in a different way.
Below are the ways you can serve your complaint and summons and prove to the Court that you did it. All
of the forms discussed below can be found at the Family Court Self Help Center at DC Superior Court or at
www.LawHelp.org/DC.
Have someone who is over 18 years old
and not a party to the case (NOT you):
• Hand a copy of the papers to the
other party; or
• Leave a copy of the papers at
the other party’s home with a
person of suitable age and
discretion who lives there
(someone who you think is old
enough or responsible enough to
give the papers to the other party).
• The person who served the papers must fill out an
Affidavit of Service by Individual.
• The completed Affidavit must be filed at the Family
Court Central Intake Center.
Mail a copy of the papers to the other
party by certified mail, return receipt
requested.
• Send a copy of the papers to the
other party’s home.
• You can do this yourself at the
post office. Someone else can do
this for you too.
• Keep the return receipt (“green card”) if it comes
back to you;
• Fill out an Affidavit of Service by Certified Mail;
and
• File the completed Affidavit with the return receipt
attached at the Family Court Central Intake
Center.
• Note: If you do not receive a return receipt or it
comes back saying your papers cannot be delivered,
you will need to serve the papers a different way.
DC Bar Pro Bono Center (revised 02/2019)
Complaint for Absolute Divorce - Page 7 of 8