Rule 4(c)(3) states that at the plaintiff’s request, the court “may order that service be made by a United States Marshal or deputy marshal or by a person specially appointed by the court. The court must so order if the plaintiff is authorized to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915.”
If you wish to have the U.S. Marshal attempt to effect service of your summons and complaint, you are responsible for providing a completed Addendum to the Application to Proceed without Prepaying Fees or Costs indicating that you are requesting that service be made by the U.S. Marshal along with a completed summons and USM-285 form with an accurate, physical, service address for each named defendant in your civil complaint. If you are unable to provide an accurate, physical, service address for each named defendant in your civil complaint, the U.S. Marshal will be unable to execute service upon the defendant. Service cannot be made on a defendant at a P.O. Box.
When using this form, please make sure you have completed the following blank spaces prior to submitting it to the Court:
- Plaintiff (enter your name.)
- Defendant (If multiple defendants are named in your complaint, enter first named defendant followed by “et al.”)
- Type of Service (enter “CV”)
- Name of Individual, Company, Corporation, etc. (enter name of individual defendant to be served.)
- Address (enter accurate, physical, service address. P.O. Boxes will not be accepted.)
- Send Notice of Service Copy to Requester at Name and Address Below (enter your mailing address.)
- Number of process to be served with this Form 285 (enter “1”)
- Number of parties to be served in this case (enter total number of defendants to be served in your case.)
- Check for service on U.S.A. (only check if the U.S.A. is the defendant.)
- Special Instructions or Other Information that will Assist in Expediting Service (if none, enter “N/A”)
- Signature of Attorney or other Originator requesting service on behalf of Plaintiff (you must sign here. Typed and/ or Electronic signatures will not be accepted.)
- Telephone Number (enter a phone number at which you can be contacted by the U.S. Marshal’s Office if further information is needed.)
- Date (enter date document was submitted to the Clerk’s Office)