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Court Procedures Rules
6412Service of originating process by post—Magistrates
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6412 Service of originating process by post—Magistrates
(1) The plaintiff may serve an originating process by post by sending a
sealed copy by prepaid post in accordance with subrule (2) if the
defendant’s address stated in the process is an address in the ACT.
(2) The copy must be sent in an envelope—
(a) addressed to the defendant at the defendant’s address stated in
the originating process; and
(b) marked with a return address.
(3) The return address must be the registry’s address, but must not be
identified as such.
(4) If the plaintiff serves an originating process under this rule, the
plaintiff must complete and file a certificate of postal service for the
Note See approved form 6.4 (Certificate of postal service) AF2019-29.
(5) If the plaintiff completes and files a certificate of postal service for
the originating process, the plaintiff is taken to have served the
process personally on the defendant.
(6) However, if the envelope containing the originating process is
returned to the registry by the postal authority as not having been
delivered to the defendant—
(a) the plaintiff is not taken to have served the process on the
defendant; and
(b) the registrar must—
(i) if judgment has been entered on the basis of the postal
service—
(A) set aside the judgment; and
Service—Magistrates Court Division 6.8.3
Rule 6413
(B) if an enforcement proceeding has been issued—
withdraw the proceeding; and
(ii) tell the plaintiff—
(A) that the process has not been served; and
(B) if judgment has been set aside—that judgment has
been set aside.