Superior Court >Self- Service Center >Forms >Family Court HOW TO SERVE FAMILY COURT PAPERS ON THE OTHER PARTY Last Updated: July 25, 2007

To "serve" means to deliver the court papers by a method allowed by law. If the other party is being served in Arizona, you may NOT hand-deliver or mail the papers unless the other party will sign an "Acceptance of Service" form in front of a Notary and return that form to you. If not, then the papers must be delivered by the Sheriff's Department or a licensed process server. If the papers are being served outside Arizona (but in the U.S.), you may serve by mail if you follow the procedures in the "in the U.S. But Not in Arizona" packet below.

As of January 1, 2006, you may serve family court papers in-state or out of state (within the U. S.) by certain forms of U.S. Mail or by a nationwide delivery service such as DHL, FedEx, or UPS, that provides confirmation of delivery by either a signed paper receipt or by electronic means such as by a printout from the Internet, by fax, or by email, so long as it includes a copy of the signature of the other party (and no one else) signing for receipt of the package containing the papers.

Lists and descriptions:

Service of the Papers When the Other Party Lives in the State of Arizona - These files contain general information and/or court forms and instructions about serving court papers on the other party when he/she lives in the State of Arizona. Service of the Papers When the Other Party Lives in the United States But Not In the State of Arizona - These files contain general information and/or court forms and instructions about serving court papers on the other party when he/she lives in the United States but not in the State of Arizona. Service of the Papers When You Cannot Find the Other Party - These files contain general information and/or court forms and instructions about serving court papers on the other party when you do not know where he/she lives. Request for More Time to Serve the Other Party - These files contain court forms and instructions about filing the Request for more time to Serve the Other Party.

Available Forms