Notice and Service of Process

This lesson is designed to help students understand notice and service of process. It covers the constitutional standard for notice as articulated by the U.S. Supreme Court and service of process under Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Rule 4).

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Apply the constitutional standard for notifying a defendant that she has been sued.
2. Explain the basic parts of service under Rule 4: what must be served, who can effect service, when service must be made, and how proof of service works.
3. Explain the different methods for serving individuals within the United States, individuals outside of the United States, and entities under Rule 4.
4. Explain waiver of service of process under Rule 4.