casemark/certificate-of-service

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
(312) 555-0100
[email protected]

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. ([email protected])
  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
(916) 555-0200
[email protected]

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