Notice Regarding Electronic Service (form CR-CV-FM-255): The "Notice Regarding Electronic Service" gives the other party the chance to agree to send notices about the case by email. Write your name as the "Plaintiff" and the name of the tenant as the "Defendant."
Important: Plan ahead! The hearing date on the summons must be at least 14 days after the date the tenant gets the complaint, summons, information sheet, and notice regarding electronic service (date of service). Be sure to plan when the tenant will be served and ask for a hearing date 14 days or more after that date.
Step 3. Service
"Service" of the four court forms listed above is how you give notice to the tenant that the eviction is proceeding to court. This service should only take place after the notice to quit period has ended. Please note that unlike service of the notice to quit, to serve the summons, complaint and additional court forms, a sheriff is needed.
Go to a sheriff for the county where the home is to serve the tenant. For each tenant, give the sheriff two copies of the complaint, summons, information sheet and notice regarding electronic service (keep one copy for yourself). It’s up to the landlord to make sure the sheriff has unimpeded access to the front door of the unit to be able to serve the papers on the tenant.
If the sheriff tries 3 times on 3 separate days and can’t serve the tenant, the sheriff can leave a copy at the home. The papers will also have to be mailed USPS first class. The sheriff will either mail the papers or let you know you need to do so. Either way you’ll need to file an affidavit (a sworn statement) to show service was made this way. Use form CV-204 to do this.