§1696 Service in Foreign and International Litigation

Summary

A U.S. district court where a person lives or is found can order that papers connected to a case in a foreign or international court be given to that person. The court can do this when a foreign or international court asks by an official request (like a letter rogatory) or when any interested person asks, and the court will say how the papers must be delivered. Ordering delivery this way does not by itself force U.S. courts to accept or enforce the foreign court’s judgment. Papers can also be delivered without a court order.