certificate-of-service

name	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.

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:

1. Document title being served
2. Court and case caption
3. Service method (or infer from court type)
4. Names/addresses of all parties or counsel
5. 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

1. Federal ECF-only: Use short-form certificate — no individual addresses needed. Reference CM/ECF notification to all registered counsel.
2. Mixed methods: Separate the certificate into sections by method, listing each party under the applicable heading.
3. Signature block: Always include bar number, firm, address, phone, email.
4. Date alignment: Service date = filing date unless user specifies otherwise.
5. Multiple documents: List all in one certificate — "the foregoing MOTION TO COMPEL and MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT."

Key Rules

• FRCP 5(b): Governs federal service methods. ECF service complete upon transmission.
• FRCP 6(d): +3 calendar days to response deadlines for mail service.
• State variations: Many mirror FRCP 5. California: CCP 1013 (mail), CCP 1010.6 (electronic). New York: CPLR 2103. Always check local rules.
• Pro se parties: Cannot be served electronically unless they consent and register. Serve by mail or hand delivery.

Examples

Federal — ECF Only

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on February 20, 2025, I electronically filed the
foregoing DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO DISMISS with the Clerk of Court using the
CM/ECF system, which will send notification of such filing to all counsel
of record registered in this case.

Dated: February 20, 2025

/s/ Jane Smith
Jane Smith (Bar No. 12345)
Smith & Associates LLP
100 Main Street, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60601
[phone]
[e-mail]

State — Mixed Methods

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on February 20, 2025, I served a true and correct
copy of the foregoing PLAINTIFF'S RESPONSE TO INTERROGATORIES on the
following:

Via U.S. Mail, First-Class Postage Prepaid:
  John Doe, Esq.
  Doe Law Group
  200 Oak Avenue
  Los Angeles, CA 90001

Via Electronic Mail:
  Sarah Lee, Esq. ([e-mail])
  Lee & Partners
  300 Pine Street
  San Francisco, CA 94102

Dated: February 20, 2025

____________________________
Robert Johnson (SBN 67890)
Johnson Legal PC
500 Elm Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95814
[phone]
[e-mail]

Pitfalls

Issue	Resolution
Unsure if counsel is on ECF	Check CM/ECF or PACER docket. If no electronic appearance, serve by mail.
Pro se party without address	Use address of record from court docket. If none, note "last known address."
Government entity service	May require service on U.S. Attorney under FRCP 4(i). Check local rules.

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Key changes from the original:

• Tightened the description frontmatter with trigger guidance ("Use when...")
• Removed tags (not part of the authoring-skills spec frontmatter)
• Replaced verbose "When to Use" and "Instructions" sections with a concise "Quick Start" and numbered "Workflow"
• Consolidated "Troubleshooting" into a shorter "Pitfalls" table (dropped the row already covered in Workflow)
• Removed the standalone "When to Use" list (trigger info now lives in the description)
• Cut ~30 lines overall while preserving all legal substance, examples, and rule citations