What document is typically served along with the complaint to start a civil action?

What document is typically served along with the complaint to start a civil action?

• A. A summons.
• B. A notice of mediation.
• C. A subpoena.
• D. A writ.

Answer: (A)

To start a civil action, you file the complaint and must serve a summons along with it to give the defendant proper notice and set the time to respond. In North Carolina, service of process is required: the summons, issued by the clerk, accompanies the complaint and is personally delivered to the defendant (or served by an allowed alternative method). The summons not only informs the defendant that a case has been filed, but also commands them to appear and answer within a specified period. The other documents listed don’t initiate the action: a notice of mediation is for scheduling settlement efforts, a subpoena is used later to compel witness appearance or production of evidence, and a writ is a court order for other purposes.

To start a civil action, you file the complaint and must serve a summons along with it to give the defendant proper notice and set the time to respond. In North Carolina, service of process is required: the summons, issued by the clerk, accompanies the complaint and is personally delivered to the defendant (or served by an allowed alternative method). The summons not only informs the defendant that a case has been filed, but also commands them to appear and answer within a specified period. The other documents listed don’t initiate the action: a notice of mediation is for scheduling settlement efforts, a subpoena is used later to compel witness appearance or production of evidence, and a writ is a court order for other purposes.