How do I Serve a Lawsuit on a Corporation in Washington State?

A lawsuit doesn't begin until the defendant is served with a summons and complaint.

In the United States legal system, any individual or organization named as a defendant in a lawsuit is entitled to reasonable notice of the suit and the opportunity to respond. The law requires each corporation doing business in a given state to designate a "Registered Agent" in that state for the purpose of accepting service or delivery of legal copies of lawsuits and other legal notices. In the state of Washington, service on most corporations occurs by serving the registered agent.

Instructions

1. Prepare, or have your attorney prepare, a civil complaint against the corporation, which you plan to sue.

2. Prepare, or have your attorney prepare, a summons according to the format outlined in Rule Four of the Washington State Court Rules of Civil Procedure.

3. Research the name and address of the corporation and its registered agent by logging on to the Washington Secretary of State's website, choose "Corporations" from the links provided, then choose "Search Corporations." (see Resources)

4. Click on the link that corresponds to the corporation's name, after obtaining the search results. The record should include the name and address of the registered agent and other "Governing Persons."

5. Request the sheriff of the county in which the agent is located to deliver the summons and complaint, or choose to hire a professional process server. In some cases, sending copies of the summons and complaint via certified mail return receipt requested provides the appropriate service on corporations.

6. If the corporation is doing business in Washington but has no registered agent in the state, serve the Secretary of State's office, who must by law, accept service on behalf of the corporation.

7. File proof of service with the clerk of the court in which the lawsuit was filed. Provide documentation that the corporation has been served properly, usually in the form of an affidavit from the process server.

Tips & Warnings

• To serve a summons and complaint on an insurance company, you must go through the Washington State Commissioner of Insurance. Visit the website insurance.wa.gov for more information. Litigation is complex and time consuming, so consider retaining an attorney to represent you and to manage service of process and other notices.

• This article is not intended as legal advice, but is for general information purposes only. Consult an attorney for legal advice concerning your particular situation.

References

• Washington Secretary of State: Doing Business in Washington
• Washington State Legislature: Revised Code of Washington, Title 4

Resources

• Secretary of State: Washington