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ARIZONA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
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- Rule 4(d). Process; By Whom Served
- Service of process shall be by a sheriff, a sheriff's deputy, a private process server
registered with the clerk of the court pursuant to subpart (e) of this Rule, or any other
person specially appointed by the court, except that a subpoena may be served as
provided in Rule 45. Service of process may also be made by a party or that party's
attorney where expressly authorized by these Rules. A private process server or specially
appointed person shall be not less than twenty-one (21) years of age and shall not be a
party, an attorney, or the employee of an attorney in the action whose process is being
served. Special appointments to serve process shall be requested by motion to the
presiding Superior Court judge and the court's ruling shall be recorded by minute entry.
Special appointments shall be granted freely, are valid only for the cause specified in
the motion, and do not constitute an appointment as a registered private process server.
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- Rule 4(e). Statewide Registration of Private Process Servers
- A person who files with the clerk of the court an application approved by the Supreme
Court, stating that the applicant has been a bona fide resident of the State of Arizona
for at least one year immediately preceding the application and that the applicant will
well and faithfully serve process in accordance with the law, and who otherwise complies
with the procedures set forth by the Supreme Court in its Administrative Order regarding
this subsection, shall, upon approval of the court or presiding judge thereof, in the
County where the application is filed, be registered with the clerk as a private process
server until such approval is withdrawn by the court in its discretion. The clerk shall
maintain a register for this purpose. Such private process server shall be entitled to
serve in such capacity for any court of the state anywhere within the State.
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- Rule 4(f). Service; Acceptance or Waiver; Voluntary Appearance
- The person to whom a summons or other process is directed may accept service, or waive
issuance or service thereof, in writing, signed by that person or by that person's
authorized agent or attorney, and the acceptance or waiver shall be filed in the action. A
person upon whom service is required may, in person or by attorney or by an authorized
agent, enter an appearance in open court, and the appearance shall be noted by the clerk
upon the docket and entered in the minutes. Such waiver, acceptance or appearance shall
have the same force and effect as if a summons had been issued and served. The filing of a
pleading responsive to a pleading allowed under Rule 7(a) of these Rules shall constitute
an appearance.
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- Rule 4(g). Return of Service
- If service is not accepted or waived, then the person effecting service shall make proof
thereof to the court. When the process is served by a sheriff or a sheriff's deputy, the
return shall be officially endorsed on or attached thereto and returned to the court
promptly. If served by a person other than the sheriff or a deputy sheriff, return and
proof of service shall be made promptly by affidavit thereof. Each such affidavit of a
registered private process server shall include clear reference to the county where that
private process server is registered. When the summons is served by publication, the
return of the person making such service shall be made in the manner specified in Rules
4.1(n) and 4.2(e) of these Rules. Proof of service in a place not within any judicial
district of the United States shall, if effected under paragraph (1) of Rule 4.2(h), be
made pursuant to the applicable treaty or convention; and shall, if effected under
paragraph (2) or (3) thereof, include a receipt signed by the addressee or other evidence
of delivery to the addressee satisfactory to the court. In any event the return shall be
made within the time during which the person served must respond to process. Failure to
make proof of service does not affect the validity thereof.
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- Rule 4(h). Amendment of Process or Amendment of Proof of Service
- At any time in its discretion and upon such terms as it deems just, the court may allow
any process or proof of service thereof to be amended, unless it clearly appears that
material prejudice would result to the substantial rights of the party against whom the
process issued.
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- Rule 4(i). Summons; Time Limit for Service
- If service of the summons and complaint is not made upon a defendant within 120 days after
the filing of the complaint, the court, upon motion or on its own initiative after notice
to the plaintiff, shall dismiss the action without prejudice as to that defendant or
direct that service be effected within a specified time; provided that if the plaintiff
shows good cause for the failure, the court shall extend the time for service for an
appropriate period. This subdivision does not apply to service in a foreign country
pursuant to Rule 4.2(h), (i), (j) and (k) of these rules.
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- Rule 4.1 Process: Service of Process Within Arizona.
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- (a) Territorial Limits of Effective Service. All process
may be served anywhere within the territorial limits of the state.
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- (b) Summons; Service With Complaint. The summons and
pleading being served shall be served together. The party procuring service is responsible
for service of a summons and the pleading being served within the time allowed under Rule
4(i) of these Rules and shall furnish the person effecting service with the necessary
copies of the pleading to be served.
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- (c) Waiver of Service; Duty to Save Costs of Service; Request to Waive.
- (1) A defendant who waives service of a summons does not thereby waive any
objection to the venue or to the jurisdiction of the court over the person of such
defendant.
- (2) An individual, governmental entity, corporation, partnership or
unincorporated association that is subject to service under paragraph (d), (h), (i) or (k)
of this Rule 4.1 and that receives notice of an action in the manner provided in this
paragraph has a duty to avoid unnecessary costs of serving the summons. To avoid costs,
the plaintiff may notify such a defendant of the commencement of the action and request
that the defendant waive service of a summons. The notice and request:
- (A) shall be in writing and shall be addressed directly to the defendant in
accordance with paragraph (d), (h), (i) or (k) of this Rule 4.1, as applicable;
- (B) shall be dispatched through first-class mail or other reliable means;
- (C) shall be accompanied by a copy of the complaint and shall identify the court
in which it has been filed;
- (D) shall inform the defendant, by means of a text prescribed in an official
form promulgated pursuant to Rule 84, of the consequences of compliance and of a failure
to comply with the request;
- (E) shall set forth the date on which the request is sent;
- (F) shall allow the defendant a reasonable time to return the waiver, which
shall be at least 30 days from the date on which the request is sent; and
- (G) shall provide the defendant with an extra copy of the notice and request, as
well as a prepaid means of compliance in writing. If a defendant fails to comply
with a request for waiver made by a plaintiff located within the United States, the court
shall impose the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service on the defendant unless
good cause for the failure be shown.
- (3) A defendant that, before being served with process, timely returns a waiver
so requested is not required to serve an answer to the complaint until 60 days after the
date on which the request for waiver of service was sent.
- (4) When the plaintiff files a waiver of service with the court, the action
shall proceed, except as provided in paragraph (3), as if a summons and the complaint had
been served at the time of filing the waiver, and no proof of service shall be required.
- (5) The costs to be imposed on a defendant under paragraph (2) for failure to
comply with a request to waive service of a summons shall include the costs subsequently
incurred in effecting service under paragraph (d), (h), (i) or (k) of this Rule 4.1,
together with the costs, including a reasonable attorney's fee, of any motion required to
collect the costs of service.
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- (d) Service of Summons Upon Individuals. Service upon an
individual from whom a waiver has not been obtained and filed, other than those specified
in paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this Rule 4.1, shall be effected by delivering a copy of
the summons and of the pleading to that individual personally or by leaving copies
thereof at that individual's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of
suitable age and discretion then residing therein or by delivering a copy of the
summons and of the pleading to an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive
service of process.
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- (e) Service of Summons Upon Minors. Service upon a minor
under the age of sixteen years shall be effected by service in the manner set forth in
paragraph (d) of this Rule 4.1 upon the minor and upon the minor's father, mother or
guardian, within this state, or if none is found therein, then upon any person having the
care and control of such minor, or with whom the minor resides.
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- (f) Service of Summons Upon A Minor With Guardian or Conservator.
Service upon a minor for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed in this state
shall be effected by service in the manner set forth in paragraph (d) of this Rule 4.1
upon such guardian or conservator and minor.
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- (g) Service of Summons Upon Incompetent Persons. Service
upon a person who has been judicially declared to be insane, gravely disabled,
incapacitated or mentally incompetent to manage that person's property and for whom a
guardian or conservator has been appointed in this state shall be effected by service in
the manner set forth in paragraph (d) of this Rule 4.1 upon such person and also upon that
person's guardian or conservator, or if no guardian or conservator has been appointed,
upon such person as the court designates.
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- (h) Service of Summons Upon the State. If a waiver has not
been obtained and filed, service upon the state shall be effected by delivering a copy of
the summons and of the pleading to the attorney general.
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- (i) Service of Summons Upon a County, Municipal Corporation or Other
Governmental Subdivision. Service upon a county or a municipal corporation or
other governmental subdivision of the state subject to suit, and from which a waiver has
not been obtained and filed, shall be effected by delivering a copy of the summons and of
the pleading to the chief executive officer, the secretary, clerk, or recording officer
thereof.
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- (j) Service of Summons Upon Other Governmental Entities. Service
upon any governmental entity not listed above shall be effected by serving the person,
officer, group or body responsible for the administration of that entity or by serving the
appropriate legal officer, if any, representing the entity. Service upon any person who is
a member of the "group" or "body" responsible for the administration
of the entity shall be sufficient.
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- (k) Service of Summons Upon Corporations, Partnerships or Other
Unincorporated Associations. Service upon a domestic or foreign corporation
or upon a partnership or other unincorporated association which is subject to suit in a
common name, and from which a waiver has not been obtained and filed, shall be effected by
delivering a copy of the summons and of the pleading to a partner, an officer, a
managing or general agent, or to any other agent authorized by appointment or by law to
receive service of process and, if the agent is one authorized by statute to receive
service and the statute so requires, by also mailing a copy to the party on whose behalf
the agent accepted or received service.
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- (l) Service of Summons Upon a Domestic Corporation If Authorized Officer
or Agent Not Found Within the State. When a domestic corporation does not
have an officer or agent in this state upon whom legal service of process can be made,
service upon such domestic corporation shall be effected by depositing two copies of
the summons and of the pleading being served in the office of the Corporation Commission,
which shall be deemed personal service on such corporation. The return of the sheriff
of the county in which the action or proceeding is brought that after diligent search or
inquiry the sheriff has been unable to find any officer or agent of such corporation upon
whom process may be served, shall be prima facie evidence that the corporation does not
have such an officer or agent in this state. The Corporation Commission shall file one of
the copies in its office and immediately mail the other copy, postage prepaid, to the
office of the corporation, or to the president, secretary or any director or officer of
such corporation as appears or is ascertained by the Corporation Commission from the
articles of incorporation or other papers on file in its office, or otherwise.
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- (m) Alternative or Substituted Service. If service by one
of the means set forth in the preceding paragraphs of this Rule 4.1 proves impracticable,
then service may be accomplished in such manner, other than by publication, as the court,
upon motion and without notice, may direct. Whenever the court allows an alternate or
substitute form of service pursuant to this subpart, reasonable efforts shall be
undertaken by the party making service to assure that actual notice of the commencement of
the action is provided to the person to be served and, in any event, the summons and the
pleading to be served, as well as any order of the court authorizing an alternative method
of service, shall be mailed to the last known business or residence address of the person
to be served. Service by publication may be employed only under the circumstances, and in
accordance with the procedures, specified in Rules 4.1(n), 4.1(o), 4.2(f) and 4.2(g) of
these Rules.
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- (n) Service by Publication; Return. Where the person to be
served is one whose residence is unknown to the party seeking service but whose last known
residence address was within the state, or has avoided service of process, and service by
publication is the best means practicable under the circumstances for providing notice of
the institution of the action, then service may be made by publication in accordance with
the requirements of this subpart. Such service shall be made by publication of the
summons, and of a statement as to the manner in which a copy of the pleading being served
may be obtained, at least once a week for four successive weeks (1) in a newspaper
published in the county where the action is pending, and (2) in a newspaper published in
the county of the last known residence of the person to be served if different from the
county where the action is pending. If no newspaper is published in any such county, then
the required publications shall be made in a newspaper published in an adjoining county.
The service shall be complete thirty days after the first publication. When the residence
of the person to be served is known, the party or officer making service shall also, on or
before the date of the first publication, mail the summons and a copy of the pleading
being served, postage prepaid, to that person at that person's place of residence. Service
by publication and the return thereof may be made by the party procuring service or that
party's attorney in the same manner as though made by an officer. The party or officer
making service shall file an affidavit showing the manner and dates of the publication and
mailing, and the circumstances warranting the utilization of the procedure authorized by
this subpart, which shall be prima facie evidence of compliance herewith. A printed copy
of the publication shall accompany the affidavit. If the residence of the party being
served is unknown, and for that reason no mailing was made, the affidavit shall so state.
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- (o) Service by Publication; Unknown Heirs in Real Property Actions.
When in an action for the foreclosure of a mortgage on real property or in any action
involving title to real property, it is necessary for a complete determination of the
action that the unknown heirs of a deceased person be made parties, they may be sued as
the unknown heirs of the decedent, and service of a summons may be made on them by
publication in the county where the action is pending, as provided in subpart (n) of this
Rule 4.1.
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- Rule 4.2 Extraterritorial Jurisdiction; Personal Service Out of State
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- (a) A court of this state may exercise personal jurisdiction over parties, whether
found within or outside the state, to the maximum extent permitted by the Constitution of
this state and the Constitution of the United States. Service upon any such party located
outside the state may be made as provided in this Rule 4.2, and when so made shall be of
the same effect as personal service within the state.
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- (b) Direct Service Service of process may be made outside
the state but within the United States in the same manner provided in Rule 4.1(d)-(l) of
these Rules by a person authorized to serve process under the law of the state where such
service is made. Such service shall be complete when made and time for purposes of Rule
4.2(m) shall begin to run at that time, provided that before any default may be had on
such service, there shall be filed an affidavit of service showing the circumstances
warranting the utilization of this procedure and attaching an affidavit of the process
server showing the fact and circumstances of the service.
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- (c) Service by Mail; Return When the whereabouts of a party
outside the state is known, service may be made by depositing the summons and a copy of
the pleading being served in the post office, postage prepaid, to be sent to the person to
be served by any form of mail requiring a signed and returned receipt. Service by mail
pursuant to this subpart and the return thereof may be made by the party procuring service
or by that party's attorney. Upon return through the post office of the signed receipt,
the serving party shall file an affidavit with the court stating
- (1) that the party being served is known to be located outside the state,
- (2) that the summons and a copy of the pleading were dispatched to the party
being served;
- (3) that such papers were in fact received by the party as evidence by the
receipt, a copy of which shall be attached to the affidavit; and
- (4) the date of receipt by the party being served and the date of the return of
the receipt to the sender. This affidavit shall be prima facie evidence of personal
service of the summons and the pleading and service shall be deemed complete and time
shall begin to run for the purposes of Rule 4.2(m) of these Rules from the date of receipt
by the party being served, provided that no default may be had on such service until such
an affidavit has been filed.
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- (d) Waiver of Service; Duty to Save Costs of Service; Request to Waive
- (1) A defendant who waives service of a summons does not thereby waive any
objection to the venue or to the jurisdiction of the court over the person of such
defendant.
- (2) An individual, corporation or association that is subject to service under
paragraph (b), (c), (h), (i) or (k) of this Rule 4.2 and that receives notice of an action
in the manner provided in this paragraph has a duty to avoid unnecessary costs of serving
the summons. To avoid costs, the plaintiff may notify such a defendant of the commencement
of the action and request that the defendant waive service of the summons. The notice and
request:
- (A) shall be in writing and shall be addressed directly to the defendant in
accordance with paragraph (b), (c), (h), (i) or (k) of this Rule 4.2, as applicable;
- (B) shall be dispatched through first-class mail or other reliable means;
- (C) shall be accompanied by a copy of the complaint and shall identify the court
in which it has been filed;
- (D) shall inform the defendant, by means of a text prescribed in an official
form promulgated pursuant to Rule 84, of the consequences of compliance and of a failure
to comply with the request;
- (E) shall set forth the date on which request is sent;
- (F) shall allow the defendant a reasonable time to return the waiver, which
shall be at least 30 days from the date the notice is sent, or 60 days from that date if
the defendant is addressed outside any judicial district of the United States; and
- (G) shall provide the defendant with an extra copy of the notice and request, as
well as prepaid means of compliance in writing. If a defendant located within the United
States fails to comply with a request for waiver made by a plaintiff located within the
United States, the court shall impose the costs subsequently incurred in effecting service
on the defendant unless good cause for the failure be shown.
- (3) A defendant that, before being served with process, timely returns a waiver
so requested is not required to serve an answer to the complaint until 60 days after the
date on which the request for waiver of service was sent, or 90 days after that date if
the defendant was addressed outside any judicial district of the United States.
- (4) When the plaintiff files a waiver of service with the court, the action
shall proceed, except as provided in paragraph (3), as if a summons and complaint had been
served at the time of filing the waiver, and no proofs of service shall be required.
- (5) The costs to be imposed on a defendant under paragraph (2) for failure to
comply with a request to waive service of a summons shall include the costs subsequently
incurred in effecting service under paragraph (b), (c), (h), (i) or (k) of this Rule 4.2,
together with the costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, of any motion required to
collect the costs of service.
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- (e) Service Under Nonresident Motorist Act In an action
involving operation of a motor vehicle in this state, a nonresident minor, insane or
incompetent person may be served in the manner provided by A.R.S. 28-2321 through
28-2327 for service upon a nonresident in such cases as if that person were sui juris.
When service of a copy of the summons and complaint is made pursuant to A.R.S. 28-2327,
the service shall be deemed complete thirty days after filing defendant's return receipt
and plaintiff's affidavit of compliance, as required by A.R.S. 28- 2327, subsection A,
paragraph 1, or, in case of personal service out of the state under A.R.S. 28-2327,
subsection A, paragraph 2, thirty days after filing the officer's return of such personal
service. The defendant shall appear and answer within thirty days after completion of such
service in the same manner and under the same penalties as if the defendant had been
personally served with a summons within the county in which the action is pending.
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- (f) Service by Publication; Return Where the person to be
served is one whose present residence is unknown but whose last known residence was
outside the state, or has avoided service of process, and service by publication is the
best means practicable under the circumstances for providing notice of institution of the
action, then service may be made by publication in accordance with the requirements of
this subpart. Such service shall be made by publication of the summons, and of a statement
as to the manner in which a copy of the pleading being served may be obtained, at least
once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county where the
action is pending. If no newspaper is published in any such county, then the required
publications shall be made in a newspaper published in an adjoining county. The service
shall be complete thirty days after the first publication. When the residence of the
person to be served is known, the party or officer making service shall also, on or before
the date of the first publication, mail the summons and a copy of the pleading being
served, postage prepaid, directed to that person at that person's place of residence.
Service by publication and the return thereof may be made by the party procuring service
or that party's attorney in the same manner as though made by an officer. The party or
officer making service shall file an affidavit showing the manner and dates of publication
and mailing, and the circumstances warranting utilization of the procedure authorized by
this subpart which shall be prima facie evidence of compliance herewith. A printed copy of
the publication shall accompany the affidavit. If the residence of the person to be served
is unknown, and for that reason no mailing was made, the affidavit shall so state.
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- (g) Service by Publication; Unknown Heirs in Real Property Actions
When in an action for the foreclosure of a mortgage on real property or in any action
involving title to real property, it is necessary for a complete determination of the
action that the unknown heirs of a deceased person be made parties, they may be sued as
the unknown heirs of the decedent, and service of a summons may be made on them by
publication in the county where the action is pending, as provided in subpart (e) of this
Rule.
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- (h) Service of Summons Upon Corporations, Partnerships Unincorporated
Associations Located Outside Arizona but Within the United States In case of
a corporation or partnership or unincorporated association located outside the state but
within the United States, service under this Rule shall be made on one of the persons
specified in Rule 4.1(k).
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- (i) Service Upon Individuals in a Foreign Country Unless
otherwise provided by federal law, service upon an individual from whom a waiver has not
been obtained and filed, other than an infant or an incompetent person, may be effected in
a place not within any judicial district of the United States:
- (1) by any internationally agreed means reasonably calculated to give notice,
such as those means authorized by the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial
and Extrajudicial Documents; or
- (2) if there is no internationally agreed means of service or the applicable
international agreement allows other means of service, provided that service is reasonably
calculated to give notice:
- (A) in the manner prescribed by the law of the foreign country for service in
that country in an action in any of its courts of general jurisdiction; or
- (B) as directed by the foreign authority in response to a letter rogatory or
letter of request; or
- (C) unless prohibited by the law of the foreign country, by
- (I) delivery to the party to be served personally of a copy of the summons and
of the pleading; or
- (II) any form of mail requiring a signed receipt, to be addressed and dispatched
by the clerk of the court to the party to be served; or
- (3) by other means not prohibited by international agreement as may be directed
by the court.
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- (j) Service of Summons Upon Minors and Incompetent Persons in a Foreign
Country Service upon a minor, a minor with a guardian or an incompetent
person in a place not within any judicial district of the United States shall be effected
in the manner prescribed by paragraph (2)(A) or (2)(B) of subdivision (i) of this Rule 4.2
or by such means as the court may direct.
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- (k) Service of Summons Upon Corporation and Associations in a Foreign
Country Unless otherwise provided by federal law, service upon a corporation
or upon a partnership or other unincorporated association that is subject to suit under a
common name, and from which a waiver of service has not been obtained and filed, shall be
effected in a place not within any judicial district of the United States in any manner
prescribed for individuals by subdivision (i) of this Rule 4.2 except personal delivery as
provided in paragraph (2)(C)(i) thereof.
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- (l) Service of Summons Upon a Foreign State or Political Subdivision
Thereof Service of a summons upon a foreign state or a political subdivision,
agency, or instrumentality thereof shall be effected pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1608.
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- (m) Time for Appearance After Service Outside State Where
service of the summons and of a copy of a pleading requiring service by summons is made
outside the state by any means authorized by this Rule 4.2, other than subsection (d), the
person served shall appear and answer within thirty days after completion thereof in the
same manner and under the same penalties as if that person had been personally served with
a summons within the county in which the action is pending.
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- Rule 5. Service and Filing of Pleadings and Other Papers.
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- (a) Service; when required. Except as otherwise provided in
these rules, every order required by its term to be served, every pleading subsequent to
the original complaint unless the court otherwise orders because numerous defendants,
every paper relating to discovery required to be served upon a party unless the court
otherwise orders, every written motion other than one which may be heard ex parte, and
every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, designation of record on
appeal, and similar paper shall be served upon each of the parties. No service need be
made on parties in default for failure to appear except that pleadings asserting new or
additional claims for relief against them shall be served upon them in the manner provided
for service of summons in Rule 4, or Rule 4.2 as applicable.
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- (b) Service; parties served; continuance. When there are
several defendants, and some are served with summons and others are not, the plaintiff may
proceed against those served or continue the action. The court may order the plaintiff to
proceed against those served.
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- (c) Service after appearance; service after judgment; how made.
- (1) Whenever under these rules service is required or permitted to be made upon
a party represented by an attorney, the service shall be made upon the attorney unless
service upon the party is ordered by the court. Service upon the attorney or upon a party
shall made by delivering a copy to the attorney or party or by mailing it to the attorney
or party at the attorney's party's last known address, or, if no address is known, by
leaving it with the clerk of the court. Delivery of a cop within this rule means: handing
it to the attorney or the party; or leaving it at the attorney's or party's office with a
clerk or other person in charge thereof; or, if there is no one in charge, leaving it in a
conspicuous place therein; or, if the office is closed or the person to be served has no
office, leaving it at the person's dwelling-house or usual place of abode with some person
of suitable age and discretion then residing therein. Absent a court order agreement of
the parties, delivery does not include transmission by facsimile. The date and manner of
service shall be noted on the original of the paper served or in a separate certificate
flied with the court. If the precise manner in which service has actually been made is not
so noted, it will be conclusively presumed that the film was served by mail, and the
provisions of Rule 6(e) of these Rules shall apply. This conclusive presumption shall only
apply if service in some form has actually been made. Service by mail is complete upon
mailing.
- (2) After the time for appeal from a judgment has expired or a judgment has
become final after appeal, the service of a motion, petition, complaint or other pleading
required to be served and requesting modification, vacation or enforcement of that
judgment, shall be served pursuant to Rules 4, 4.1 or 4.2, as applicable, of these rules
as if serving a summons and complaint.
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- (d) Service; numerous defendants. In any action in which
there are unusually large numbers of defendant the court, upon motion or of its own
initiative, may order that service of the pleadings of the defendants an replies thereto
need not be made as between the defendants and that any cross-claim, counterclaim, or
matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense contained therein shall be deemed
denied or avoided by all other parties and that the filing of any such pleading and
service thereof upon the plaintiff constitutes due notice of to the parties. A copy of
every such order shall be served upon the parties in such manner and form as the court
directs.
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- (e) ABROGATED APRIL 16, 1991, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 1991.
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- (f) ABROGATED APRIL 16, 1991, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 1991.
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- (g) Filing; attachments.
- (1) Filing. All papers after the complaint required to be served upon a party or
to be filed with the Court within a specified time shall be both filed with the Court and
served within that specified time
- (2) Papers not to be filed. The following papers shall not be filed separately
and may be filed as attachments or exhibits to other documents only when relevant to the
determination of an issue before the Court:
- (A) Subpoena papers. Any praecipe used solely for issuance of a subpoena or
subpoena duces tecum, and subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, and any affidavit of service
of a subpoena, except for post-judgment proceedings;
- (B) Discovery papers. Notices of deposition; depositions, interrogatories and
answers; requests for production, inspection or admission, and responses; requests for
physical and mental examination; and notices of service of any discovery or discovery
response;
- (C) Proposed pleadings. Any proposed pleading, except such pleading may be filed
after ruling by the Court if necessary to preserve the record on appeal;
- (D) Prior filings. Any paper which previously has been filed in the case. If a
party desires to call the Court's attention to anything contained in a previously filed
paper, the party shall do so by incorporation by reference;
- (E) Authorities cited in memoranda. Copies of authorities cited in memoranda,
unless necessary to preserve the record on appeal; and
- (F) Offers of judgment under Rule 68.
- (3) Attachments to judge. Except for proposed orders and proposed judgments, a
party may attach copies of papers not otherwise to be filed under this rule to a copy of a
motion or memorandum of points and authorities delivered to the judge to whom the case has
been assigned. Any such papers provided to the judge must also be provided to all other
parties.
- (4) Sanctions. For violation of this Rule, the Court may order the removal of
the offending document and charge the offending party or counsel such costs or fees as may
be necessary to cover the Clerk's costs of filing, preservation, or storage, and the Court
may impose any additional sanctions provided in Rule 16(f).
-
- (h) Filing with the court defined. The filing of pleadings
and other papers with the court as required by these. Rules shall be made by filing them
with the clerk of the court, except that the judge may permit the papers to be filed with
the judge and in that event the judge shall note thereon the filing date and forthwith
transmit them to the office of the clerk.
-
- (i) Compulsory arbitration. A complaint and an answer shall
be accompanied by such certificate as may be required by Rule 1(e), Uniform Rules of
Procedure for Arbitration and such other certificates as may be required by local rule.
-
- (j) Proposed orders and proposed judgments. A proposed
order or proposed judgment shall be prepared as a separate document and shall not be
included as an integral part of a motion, stipulation, or other document. The proposed
order or proposed judgment shall be prepared in accordance with this subsection and Rule
10(d), and shall contain the following information as single-spaced text on the first page
of the document:
- (1) To the left of the center of the page starting at line one, the filing
party's typed or printed name, address, telephone number, State Bar of Arizona attorney
identification number, and any State Bar of Arizona law firm identification number, along
with an identification of the party being represented by the attorney, e.g., plaintiff,
defendant, third party plaintiff, etc. (Note: If the document is being presented by a
litigant representing himself or herself, all of this information shall be included except
the State Bar of Arizona identification numbers);
- (2) Centered on or below line six (6) of the page, the typed or printed title of
the court;
- (3) Below the title of the court and to the left of the center of the paper, the
typed or printed title of the action proceeding;
- (4) Opposite the title, in the space to the right of the center of the page, the
typed or printed case number of the action or proceeding; and
- (5) Immediately below the case number, a brief typed or printed description of
the nature of the document. There shall be at least two lines of text on the signature
page. Any proposed form of order or proposed form of judgment shall be served upon all
parties and counsel simultaneous with its submission to the Court for consideration.
Proposed orders and proposed judgments shall not be filed or docketed by the Clerk of the
Court until after judicial review and decision to sign, modify, or reject. A party may
file an unsigned order or judgment to preserve the record on appeal.
- (Amended Mar. 26, 1963, effective June 1, 1963; amended July 17, 1970, effective Nov.
1, 1970; amended July 23, 1976, effective Oct. 1, 1976; amended Oct. 28, 1980, effective
Jan. 1, 1981; amended July 6, 1983, effective Sept. 7, 1983; amended Sept. 15, 1987,
effective Nov. 15, 1987; amended Dec. 21, 1990, effective Feb. 1, 1991; amended Apr. 16,
1991, effective July 1, 1991; amended Oct. 2, 1991, effective Dec. 1, 1991; amended July
16, 1992, effective Dec. 1, 1992; amended Mar. 2, 1993, effective June 1, 1993; amended
Jan. 26, 1994; effective June 1, 1994; amended Oct. 9, 1996, effective Dec. 1, 1996;
amended Jan. 29, 1999, Effective June 1, 1999.)
-
- Rule 45. Subpoena.
-
- (a) Form; issuance.
- (1) Every subpoena shall
- (A) state the name of the Arizona court from which it is issued; and
- (B) state the title of the action, the name of the court which it is pending,
and its civil action number; and
- (C) command each person to whom its is directed to attend and give testimony or
to produce and permit inspection and copying, designated books, documents or tangible
things in the possession, custody or control of that person, or to permit inspection of
premises, at a time and place therein specified; and
- (D) set forth the recipients' rights and obligations under the subpoenas as
follows
- Your Duties In Responding To This Subpoena
You have duty to produce the documents requested as they are kept by you in the usual
course of business, or you may organize the documents and label them to correspond with
the categories set forth in this subpoena. See Rule 45 (d)(1) of the Arizona Rules of
Civil Procedure.
If this subpoena asks you to produce and permit inspection and copying of designated
books, papers, documents, tangible things, or the inspection of premises, you need not
appear to produce the items unless the subpoena states that you must appear for a
deposition, hearing or trial. See Rule 45 (c)(2)(A) of the Arizona Rules of Civil
Procedure.
- Your Right to Object
The party or attorney serving the subpoena has a duty to take reasonable steps to avoid
imposing an undue burden or expense on you. The Superior Court enforces this duty and may
impose sanctions upon the party or attorney serving the subpoena if this duty is breached.
See Rule 45 (c)(1) of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.
You may object to this subpoena if you feel that you should not be required to respond to
the request(s) made. Any objection to this subpoena must be made within 14 days after it
is served upon you, or before the time specified for compliance, by providing a written
objection to the party or attorney serving the subpoena. See Rule 45 (c)(2)(B) of the
Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.
If you object because you claim the information requested is privileged or subject to
protection as trial preparation material, you must express the objection clearly, and
support each objection with a description of the nature of the document, communication or
item not produced so that the demanding party can contest the claim. See Rule 45 (d)(2) of
the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.
If you object to the subpoena in writing you do not need to comply with the subpoena until
a court orders you to do so. It will be up to the party or attorney serving the subpoena
to seek an order from the court to compel you to provide the documents or inspection
requested, after providing notice to you. See Rule 45 (c)(2)(B) of the Arizona Rules of
Civil Procedure.
If you are not a party to the litigation, or an officer of a party, the court will issue
an order to protect you from any significant expense resulting from the inspection and
copying commanded. See Rule 45 (c)(2)(B) of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.
You also may file a motion in the superior court of the county in which the case is
pending to quash or modify the subpoena if the subpoena:
- (I) does not provide a reasonable time for compliance;
- (II) requires a non-party or officer of a party to travel to a county different
from the county where the person resides or does business in person; or to travel to a
county different from where the subpoena was served; or to travel to a place farther than
40 miles from the place of service; or to travel to a place different from any other
convenient place fixed by an order of a court, except that a subpoena for you to appear
and testify at trial can command you to travel from any place within the state;
- (III) requires the disclosure of privileged or protected information and no
waiver or exception applies; or
- (IV) subjects you to an undue burden. See Rule 45 (c)(3)(A) of the Arizona Rules
of Civil Procedure.
- (E) If this subpoena:
- (I) requires disclosure of a trade secret or other confidential research,
development, or commercial trade information; or
- (II) requires disclosure of an unretained expert's opinion or information not
describing specific events or occurrences in dispute and resulting from the expert's study
made not at the request of any party; or
- (III) requires a person who is not a party or an officer of a party to incur
substantial travel expense;
- The court may either quash or modify the subpoena, or the court may order you to appear
or produce documents only upon specified conditions, if the party who served the subpoena
shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot be otherwise met
without undue hardship and assures that you will be reasonably compensated. See Rule 45
(c)(3)(B) of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure. A command to produce evidence or to
permit inspection may be joined with a command to appear at trial, hearing or at
deposition, or may be issued separately.
- (2) A subpoena commanding attendance at a trial or hearing shall issue from the
superior court for the county in which the hearing or trial is to be held. A subpoena for
attendance at a deposition shall issue from the superior court for the county in which the
case is pending. If separate from a subpoena commanding the attendance of a person, a
subpoena for production or inspection shall issue from the superior court for the county
in which the production or inspection is to be made.
- (3) The clerk shall issue a subpoena signed but otherwise is blank to a party
requesting it who shall complete it before service.
-
- (b) Service.
- (1) A subpoena may be served by any person who is not a party and is not less
than eighteen years of age. Service of a subpoena upon a person named therein shall be
made by delivering a copy thereof to such person and if the person's attendance is
commanded, by tendering to that person the fees for one day's attendance and the mileage
allowed by law. When the subpoena is issued on behalf of the state or an officer or agency
thereof, fees and mileage need not be tendered. Prior notice of any commanded production
of documents and things inspection of premises before trial shall be served on each party
in the manner prescribed by Rule 5 (c).
- (2) A subpoena may be served anywhere within the state.
- (3) Proof of service when necessary shall be made by filing with the clerk of
the court of the county in which the case is pending a statement of the date and manner of
service and of the names of the persons served, certified by the person who made service.
-
- (c) Protection of persons subject to subpoenas.
- (1) A party or an attorney responsible for the service of a subpoena shall take
reasonable steps to avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person subject to that
subpoena. The superior court of the county where the subpoena was issued shall enforce
this duty and impose upon the party or attorney in breach of this duty an appropriate
sanction, which may include, but is not limit to, lost earnings and a reasonable
attorneys' fee.
- (A) A person commanded to produce and permit inspection and copying of
designated books, papers, documents, or tangible things, or inspection of premises need
not appear in person at the place of production or inspection unless commanded to appear
for deposition, hearing or trial.
- (B) Subject to paragraph (d)(2) of this rule, a person commanded to produce and
permit inspection and copying may, within 14 days after the service of the subpoena or
before the time specified for compliance if such time is less than 14 days after service,
serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to
inspection or copying of any or all of the designated materials or of the premises. If
objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and
copy the materials except pursuant to an order of the court by which the subpoena was
issued. If objection has been made, the party serving the subpoena may, upon notice to the
person commanded to produce, move at any time for an order to compel the production. Such
an order to compel production shall protect any person who is not a party or an officer of
a party from significant expense resulting from the inspection and copying commanded.
- (A) On timely motion, the superior court of the county in which the case is
pending or from which subpoena was issued shall quash or modify the subpoena if it
- (I) fails to allow reasonable time for compliance;
- (II) requires a person who is not a party or an officer of a party to travel to
a place other than the county in which the person resides or transacts business in person
or is served with a subpoena, or within forty miles from the place of service, or such
other convenient place fixed by an order of court, except that, subject to the provisions
of clause (c)(3)(B)(iii) of this rule, such a person may in order to attend trial be
commanded to travel from any such place within the state, or
- (III) requires disclosure of privileged or other protected matter and no
exception or waiver applies, or
- (IV) subjects a person to undue burden.
- (B) If a subpoena
- (I) requires disclosure of a trade secret or other confidential research,
development, or commercial information, or
- (II) requires disclosure of an unretained expert's opinion or information not
describing specific events or occurrences in dispute and resulting from the expert's study
made not at the request of any party, or
- (III) requires a person who is not a party or an officer of a party to incur
substantial travel expense. The court may, protect to a person subject to or affected by
the subpoena, quash or modify the subpoena or, if the party in whose behalf the subpoena
is issued shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot be otherwise
met without undue hardship and assures that the person to whom the subpoena is addressed
will be reasonably compensated, the court may order appearance or production only upon
specified conditions.
-
- (d) Duties in responding to subpoena.
- (1) A person responding to a subpoena to produce documents shall produce them as
they are kept in the usual course of business or shall organize and label them to
correspond with the categories in the demand.
- (2) When information subject to a subpoena is withheld on a claim that it is
privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation materials, the claim shall be
made expressly and shall be supported by a description of the nature of the documents,
communications, or things not produced that is sufficient to enable the demanding party to
contest the claim.
-
- (e) Contempt. Failure of any person without adequate excuse
to obey a subpoena served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the superior court
of the county from which the subpoena is issued. An adequate cause for failure to obey
exists when a subpoena purports to require a non-party to attend or produce at a place not
within the limits provided by clause (ii) of subparagraph (c)(3).
-
- (f) Failure to produce documentary evidence. Upon failure
to produce documentary evidence as provided in this Rule, secondary evidence of the books,
papers, documents or tangible things may be given at trial.
-
- (g) Subpoena. The subpoena shall state that "requests
for reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities must be made to the court by
parties at least 3 working days in advance of a scheduled court proceeding."
- (Amended July 17, 1970, effective Nov. 1, 1970; amended July 6, 1983, effective Sept.
7, 1983; amended Sept. 15, 1987, effective Nov. 15, 1987; amended June 1, 1995, effective
Dec. 1, 1995; amended Oct. 9, 1996, effective Dec. 1, 1996.)
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