| name | certificate-of-service |
| title | Certificate of Service |
| description | Drafts certificates of service (proofs of service) for court filings. Use when a filing must be accompanied by proof that copies were served on all parties or counsel. Covers FRCP Rule 5, state equivalents, ECF/e-service, U.S. mail, hand delivery, and overnight courier methods. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/certificate-of-service |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | litigation |
| language | en |
Certificate of Service
Generates a certificate of service attesting that copies of a court filing were delivered to all parties or their counsel. Supports federal (FRCP 5) and state court requirements.
Quick Start
Gather from the user:
- Document title being served
- Court and case caption
- Service method (or infer from court type)
- Names/addresses of all parties or counsel
- Signing attorney details (name, bar number, firm, contact)
Then produce a certificate matching the output template below.
Output Template
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that on [DATE], I served a true and correct copy of the
foregoing [DOCUMENT TITLE] on the following by [SERVICE METHOD]:
[PARTY/COUNSEL LIST with addresses]
Dated: [DATE]
____________________________
[ATTORNEY NAME]
[BAR NUMBER]
[FIRM NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[PHONE]
[EMAIL]
Service Methods
| Method | Certificate Language | When |
|---|
| ECF/E-filing | "via the Court's CM/ECF system, which will send notification to all registered counsel of record" | Federal and most state e-filing systems |
| Email | "via electronic mail to the email address(es) listed below" | Parties consented per FRCP 5(b)(2)(E) |
| U.S. Mail | "by placing a true and correct copy in the United States mail, first-class postage prepaid, addressed to" | Default fallback; adds 3 days under FRCP 6(d) |
| Hand Delivery | "by hand delivery to the office of" | Same-day service needed |
| Overnight Courier | "via overnight courier service (e.g., FedEx, UPS) to" | Time-sensitive, mail too slow |
Workflow
- Federal ECF-only: Use short-form certificate — no individual addresses needed. Reference CM/ECF notification to all registered counsel.
- Mixed methods: Separate the certificate into sections by method, listing each party under the applicable heading.
- Signature block: Always include bar number, firm, address, phone, email.
- Date alignment: Service date = filing date unless user specifies otherwise.
- Multiple documents: List all in one certificate — "the foregoing MOTION TO COMPEL and MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT."
Key Rules
- : Governs federal service methods. ECF service complete upon transmission.
