Opinion ID: 578274
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Service of Process on B & W.

Text: 11 Before the hearing on B & W's motion to dismiss for insufficiency of service of process, Audio sent a Federal Express package containing a copy of the complaint and the summons to B & W's offices in Canada. Audio contends that this constituted valid service by mail. B & W does not deny that this package was received, but argues that this was invalid service. 2 12 Fed.R.Civ.P. 4 governs service of process in federal courts. Rule 4(c)(2)(C)(i) provides that service may be effected pursuant to the law of the State in which the district court is located. Rule 4(c)(2)(C)(ii) provides that service may be effected by mail. Thus, under Rule 4, mail service is available either pursuant to the requirements of the rule itself or if applicable state law provides for service by mail. 13 At oral argument, counsel was unable to direct the Court's attention to any law of the State of Illinois allowing service by mail outside the state. Rather, Ill.Rev.Stat. ch. 110, p 2-208, which governs service outside of the State of Illinois, provides only for personal service. 14 Because state law does not provide for service by mail, the only authorization for service by mail available to Audio is that contained in Rule 4(c)(2)(C)(ii). 3 Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(c)(2)(C)(ii) provides that service may be accomplished: 15 by mailing a copy of the summons and of the complaint (by first-class mail, postage prepaid) to the person to be served, together with two copies of a notice and acknowledgment ... and a return envelope, postage prepaid, addressed to the sender. If no acknowledgment of service ... is received by the sender within 20 days after the date of mailing, [personal] service of such summons and complaint shall be made.... 16 Audio's attempted service does not satisfy this rule. Rule 4(c)(2)(C)(ii) specifies first class mail, postage prepaid. Federal Express is not first class mail. Even if Federal Express mailing satisfied the rule, Audio's service of process was never completed. The rule in this and other circuits is that service by mail is not complete until an acknowledgment is filed with the court. 4 Audio never filed an acknowledgement with the court. Indeed, Audio never received the acknowledgment from B & W, and it is not clear whether Audio even included the form in the Federal Express package. 17 Thus, Audio has not complied with the requirements for service by mail under the federal rule. The district court erred in finding that valid service had been effected. Because there was no valid service, the district court was without personal jurisdiction over B & W 5 and the complaint should have been dismissed for insufficiency of service of process. 18