Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1696 Service in Foreign and International Litigation
Title 28 › PART V — PROCEDURE › CHAPTER 113 — PROCESS › § 1696
Summary
A U.S. district court where a person lives or is found can order that person to be served with papers from a foreign or international tribunal after a formal request or when someone asks. The court decides how the papers are delivered. Ordering service this way does not by itself force U.S. recognition or enforcement of the foreign tribunal’s decision. Papers may also be served without a court order.
Full Legal Text
Title 28, §1696
Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The district court of the district in which a person resides or is found may order service upon him of any document issued in connection with a proceeding in a foreign or international tribunal. The order may be made pursuant to a letter rogatory issued, or request made, by a foreign or international tribunal or upon application of any interested person and shall direct the manner of service. Service pursuant to this subsection does not, of itself, require the recognition or enforcement in the United States of a judgment, decree, or order rendered by a foreign or international tribunal.
(b)This section does not preclude service of such a document without an order of court.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
28 U.S.C. § 1696
Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102