Service of proceedings is the procedure by which a defendant is informed of the action. Since it is fair and important that someone has the opportunity to respond to the allegations, the service is required by law, demanding and must be done in one of many specific ways. If service is not effected in accordance with the law, the court may dismiss your claim. Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure sets out the conditions for service. Rule 4 contains special requirements for service when the United States, one of its authorities or one of its employees is prosecuted. If you are the one suing, you must complete subpoena forms (one for each defendant) and present them to the court clerk`s office, where a clerk will sign and stamp them with the court seal. From there, you will need a copy of each official summons (the one with the official`s signature and seal) and a copy of the complaint and its attachments (one copy for each defendant). You must serve these documents on each defendant within 90 days of filing the complaint, otherwise your case may be dismissed. There are three ways to file a complaint with a defendant:. .