Superior Court of DeKalb County Service and Proof of Service Rules
26 rules from official source documents
E-service, mail, personal service, proof of service, certificate, and timing requirements. This page is scoped to Superior Court of DeKalb County; use the court rules overview to switch categories without leaving this court.
The Clerk's Office must serve the domestic-cases standing order on the plaintiff in person or by mail when the case is filed.
It shall be served on the plaintiff at the time of filing of any domestic cases by the Clerk's Office in person or by mail.
- Applies to
- Complaint
The domestic-cases standing order must be served on the defendant with the complaint.
It shall be served on the defendant with the complaint.
For covered adoption actions, the Clerk's Office must serve the standing order on the plaintiff in person or by mail when the action is filed.
The standing order shall be served on the plaintiff by the Clerk's Office in person or by mail at the time of filing of any adoption action.
- Applies to
- Complaint
Service of the complaint is made through the Sheriff’s Office.
• Service by Sheriff’s Office
- Applies to
- Rule nisi
The defendant must be served with the completed Rule Nisi form and certificate of service.
o Serve Defendant with completed Rule Nisi form and Certificate of Service
- Applies to
- Answer
The defendant must serve the plaintiff with the answer and all documents filed with it.
• Serve Plaintiff with Answer and all documents filed
- Applies to
- Motion for bond
Service of a motion for bond on opposing counsel is required at least 10 days before the scheduled arraignment.
The Court may hear arguments for bond at arraignment provided that a Motion for bond has been properly filed and served on opposing Counsel at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled arraignment.
- Deadline
- 3 business days
- Service
- Email to opposing party
For trials beginning Monday or Tuesday, pretrial submissions must be emailed to opposing counsel and the court by 5:00 PM the preceding Thursday; for trials beginning Wednesday or Thursday, they are due no later than three business days before trial.
Once a case is scheduled for Trial, the Parties are required to serve on opposing Counsel by email and submit by email to the Court’s Criminal Litigation Manager Griselle Rivera (grdavis1@dekalbcountyga.gov) and Staff Attorney Denise Warner (dmwarner@dekalbcountyga.gov) the following items no later than close of business (5:00 PM) the preceding Thursday, if the Trial is to begin on a Monday or Tuesday, OR not later than three (3) business days if the Trial is to begin on a Wednesday, Thursday,
- Service
- Electronic service
Electronic service of pleadings is legally sufficient, except for the initial complaint and summons.
This means that electronic service of pleadings, other than the initial complaint and summons, is now legally sufficient.
- Applies to
- Initial complaint or petition
The plaintiff or petitioner must file proof of service of the initial complaint or petition and related filings within 90 days after filing the case, unless the court grants leave based on proof of diligent service attempts.
The Plaintiff/Petitioner must file proof of service of the initial Complaint/Petition and related filings within 90 days of filing the case or the case shall stand DISMISSED, absent proof of diligence in attempting service and leave of Court.
- Service
- Publication
To seek service by publication, the plaintiff or petitioner must file proof of attempted service, a motion for service by publication, and an affidavit of diligent search within 90 days after filing the case.
In order to seek an order for service by publication, the Plaintiff/Petitioner must file proof of attempted service on Defendant/Respondent at Defendant/Respondent’s last known address, together with a Motion for Service by Publication and an Affidavit of Diligent Search, within 90 days of filing the case or the case shall stand DISMISSED.
- Applies to
- Notice of service by publication
- Service
- Publication
If service by publication is ordered, the petitioner must publish notice in The Champion Newspaper within 30 days and file the newspaper’s affidavit of publication with the clerk within 60 days of entry of the order.
Petitioner must publish Notice in The Champion Newspaper within 30 days of entry of the Order for Service by Publication and must file with the clerk’s office an Affidavit of Publication from The Champion Newspaper within 60 days of entry of the Order or the case shall stand DISMISSED.
- Service
- Electronic service
Electronic service is legally sufficient for pleadings other than the initial complaint and summons.
This means that electronic service of pleadings, other than the initial complaint and summons, is now legally sufficient.
- Deadline
- 90 calendar days
- Applies to
- Initial complaint
The plaintiff or petitioner must file proof of service of the initial complaint or petition and related filings within 90 days, or the case may be dismissed absent proof of diligence and court permission.
The Plaintiff/Petitioner must file proof of service of the initial Complaint/Petition and related filings within 90 days of filing the case or the case shall stand DISMISSED, absent proof of diligence in attempting service and leave of Court.
- Applies to
- Motion for service by publication
- Service
- Publication
A request for service by publication requires proof of attempted service at the defendant’s or respondent’s last known address, together with a motion for service by publication and an affidavit.
In order to seek an order for service by publication, the Plaintiff/Petitioner must file proof of attempted service on Defendant/Respondent at Defendant/Respondent’s last known address, together with a Motion for Service by Publication and an Affidavit of
- Applies to
- Financial affidavits and child support worksheets
Updated financial affidavits and/or child support worksheets must be exchanged five days before a temporary hearing.
Pursuant to U.S.C.R. 24.2, Parties are to exchange updated financial affidavits and/or child support worksheets five (5) days prior to any Temporary Hearing.
- Deadline
- 24 hours
- Applies to
- Affidavit in lieu of testimony
An affidavit in lieu of testimony must be served on the opposing party at least 24 hours before the hearing.
Pursuant to U.S.C.R. 24.5, any affidavit in lieu of testimony is to be served on the opposing party at least 24 hours prior to a hearing.
- Deadline
- 24 hours
Specified filings must be provided to the court within 24 hours after filing by hard copy, electronic service, email, or a permitted combination of those methods.
Within twenty-four (24) hours of filing, all entries of appearance, leaves of absence, conflict notices, motions, and other substantive filings must be provided to the Court by hard copy, eservice, and/or email.
- Service
Each proposed order must be emailed to the court and copied to all counsel of record.
Proposed orders must be emailed to the Court in Word format (a PDF copy may also be included if there are original consent signatures) and cc’d to all counsel of record.
Copies of a filed arraignment waiver must be served on both the state and the court.
A Defendant may waive arraignment by filing, with copies served on the State and the Court, a written waiver no later than 4:00 p.m. the business day immediately preceding the Arraignment Calendar.
The parties must promptly and completely comply with OCGA § 17-16-4 discovery disclosure requirements within 30 days after arraignment.
The parties shall promptly and completely comply with the disclosure requirements of OCGA § 17-16-4 within thirty (30) days of arraignment.
Supplemental discovery must be provided as soon as practicable and no later than five business days after receipt of the new information.
Any supplemental discovery must be provided as soon as practicable but in any event no later than five (5) business days after receipt of the new information.
Copies of a probation-revocation petition must be served on the defendant.
Probation Officers shall ensure that revocation petitions are timely filed and that copies are served on the Defendant(s).
- Applies to
- Affidavit in lieu of testimony
- Service
- Email to court
Copies of the documents must be emailed to Ms. Warner at the same time they are provided to the opposing party.
Copies of any such documents should also be provided to the Court at the same time they are provided to the opposing party via email to Ms. Warner at address listed above.
Notices concerning the Probation Revocation Calendar are sent to the listed government and private recipients, and probation officers must notify defendants not in custody.
The Court publishes a Probation Revocation Calendar, and notices are sent to the ADAs, APDs, private counsel, probation officers, and the DeKalb County Jail. The Defendant(s) who are not in custody shall be notified by their probation officers.
- Service
- Electronic service
Electronic service of pleadings is legally sufficient.
This means that electronic service of pleadings is now legally sufficient.
What service or proof of service rules apply in Superior Court of DeKalb County?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: timing: at filing. The Clerk's Office must serve the domestic-cases standing order on the plaintiff in person or by mail when the case is filed.
What rule applies to service for complaint in Superior Court of DeKalb County?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: timing: at filing. The domestic-cases standing order must be served on the defendant with the complaint.
What rule applies to service for motion for bond in Superior Court of DeKalb County?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: the opposing party. Service of a motion for bond on opposing counsel is required at least 10 days before the scheduled arraignment.
What rule applies to service by email for the opposing party in Superior Court of DeKalb County?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: method: service by email, recipient: the opposing party, timing: 3 business days. For trials beginning Monday or Tuesday, pretrial submissions must be emailed to opposing counsel and the court by 5:00 PM the preceding Thursday; for trials beginning Wednesday or Thursday, they are due no later than three business days before trial.
What service or proof of service rules apply in Superior Court of DeKalb County?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: timing: 24 hours after filing. Specified filings must be provided to the court within 24 hours after filing by hard copy, electronic service, email, or a permitted combination of those methods.
What rule applies to service by email in Superior Court of DeKalb County?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: method: service by email. Each proposed order must be emailed to the court and copied to all counsel of record.
Related categories
Back to all rules for this courtPage & Word Limits
Maximum page counts and word limits for motions, briefs, and other filings by judge.
Courtesy Copy Requirements
When and how to deliver courtesy copies to chambers, including triggers, timing, and formatting.
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing requirements, permitted filing channels, EFSP portals, and exceptions.
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Filing cutoffs, deemed-filed rules, rejection handling, cure periods, and outage procedures.