How to Find a Summons to File for a Judgment

A judgment is a court order that is entered at the end of a legal proceeding. A judgment can be the result of a small claims complaint, a divorce petition or a civil lawsuit, among other things. In order to get to the judgment stage, you must first initiate the legal action by filing a complaint or petition. The complaint or petition must then be served, along with a summons, on the defendant or respondent. There are a variety of steps you can take to locate a summons form.

Instructions

1. Locate the website of the court where you intend to file the proceeding. In many cases, the court itself will provide self-help forms online for litigants to download and use. This is especially true for many small claims and family law courts.

2. Find your state supreme court website and search for a forms section. Many states have official forms for use in all courts within the state. If your state has official state forms, they can usually be found on the supreme court or highest court website.

3. Contact the court by telephone and ask if they have forms available in the court office. Many courts have a pro se litigant (self-represented) office within the court itself that provides forms for litigants who stop by in person.

4. Check with your state or local Legal Aid office. All states have some type of Legal Aid program for low-income litigants. Some of those offices or agencies provide forms for pro se litigants as well.

5. Purchase a summons form from a fee-based website or local stationery store if you are unable to find a summons form any other source.

References

• Florida Supreme Court: Summons
• Wisconsin Court System: Circuit Court Forms