family-law-summons

name	family-law-summons
title	Family Law Summons
description	Drafts procedurally compliant family law summons for dissolution, custody modification, support enforcement, and other domestic proceedings. Covers jurisdiction-specific formatting, mandatory statutory warnings (ATROs), response deadlines adjusted by service method, service of process instructions, and proof of service sections. Use when initiating family law litigation, preparing summons for service, or drafting notice documents for domestic relations cases.
author	CaseMark
author_url	https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/family-law-summons
license	Apache-2.0
version	0.1.0
execution_mode	open
jurisdiction	us
practice	family
language	en

Family Law Summons

Drafts a family law summons that establishes court jurisdiction and provides valid notice to the respondent. All party names, case type, and relief must match the accompanying petition exactly.

Prerequisites

1. Party names — full legal names of petitioner and respondent
2. Filing jurisdiction — county and state
3. Case type — dissolution, custody modification, support enforcement, DVRO, other
4. Accompanying petition — must align on parties, case type, and relief sought
5. Local court rules — formatting specs, mandatory form numbers, filing procedures

Output Structure

1. Court Header and Caption

Element	Requirement
Court name	Full official name (Superior Court, Family Court, Circuit Court, etc.)
Court address	Physical address of filing courthouse
County/State	Jurisdiction identifiers
Caption	Petitioner first, Respondent second; names match petition exactly
Case number	Blank field for clerk assignment
Title	"SUMMONS" or "SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW)" per local practice

Check local rules for margins, font, line spacing, and case number field placement. Check jurisdiction rules on whether minor children are named in caption vs. petition body.

2. Notice to Respondent

• Statement that a petition/complaint has been filed
• Obligation to file written response with the court
• Response deadline adjusted for service method:
  • Personal service: typically 20–30 days
  • Substituted service: check for extended period
  • Service by mail: add statutory mail days (e.g., +5 in many states)
• Filing instructions (clerk address, hours, e-filing availability)
• Requirement to serve copy on petitioner or petitioner's attorney
• Acceptable response service methods (personal, mail, e-service if permitted)