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Civil Cases
Guide For Filing Federal Civil Suits
| ITEM |
REQUIREMENTS |
| Civil
Cover Sheet |
File the original plus one copy for
the press. (Please insert the county of the first
plaintiff.) |
| Summons |
File the original plus one for each
party to be served. [Exceptions: original plus two
for Insurance and Highway Commissions and the Secretary of State.] |
| Complaint |
File the original plus one copy for
the Court (including exhibits) and one copy for each defendant
to be served. Exceptions: |
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- If service is to be through the Insurance commission,
Highway Commission, or Secretary of State, two copies
per defendant are required. [A $40.00 check is
required for each defendant served through the Secretary
of State, payable to "Secretary of State," plus
$10.00 per defendant if a return of service is desired.
- If service is to be made on an agent or agency of the
U.S. government or the United States of America is named,
one copy for the Attorney General and one copy for the
United States Attorney's Office plus one copy for each named
agency are required. See Guide
for Filing Federal Suits Against the U.S. Government
for more information.
NOTE: All parties must be named in the style
of the case on the complaint, notice of removal, or any other
pleading initiating a suit; "et al." is not
acceptable.
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| Certificate of Interested Persons
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File the original plus one copy for
the Court. See LR 3.1(f). |
| Service |
See Amended Rule 4, F.R.Civ.P.
the U.S. Marshal no longer serves summonses except for process
served on behalf of the government, by order of the Court, and
in forma pauperis cases. |
| Court Fees |
Regular Civil Suit: $350.00 for each complaint
or notice of removal
Habeas Corpus Case: $5.00
Appeal: $455.00 ($5.00 District filing fee; $450.00
Fifth Circuit filing fee)
Make checks payable to "Clerk, U.S. District Court."
There are no fees for jury demands, counterclaims, etc.
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| Notice of Removal |
File the original plus one copy of
the civil cover sheet, supplemental civil cover REMOVAL sheet,
and Notice of Removal. Each document filed in the state
court action, except discovery material, must be attached to
both the original and copy of the Notice of Removal. The
documents must be individually tabbed and arranged in chronological
order according to the state court file date. The documents
must be preceded by an index of all documents that clear identifies
each document and indicates the date the document was filed
in state court. A copy of the docket sheet in the state
court action is also required. |
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See Guide
for Filing Notice of Removal
and LR 81.1 for
more information. |
Appeals: Civil
or Criminal, Bankruptcy: General
Information, Notice
of Transfer, Attorney
Desk Reference, Bankruptcy Filings,
Instructions for Non-Lawyers,
Civil Cases: General
Instructions, Discovery Materials,
Suits Against the U.S. or Employee of Govt, Removals
from State Court, Default Judgment,
Clerk's Entry of Default, Sensitive
or Confidential: Filing a Document
Under Seal, Private
and Sensitive Case Info on the Internet
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