Certificate of Service

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

State of Tennessee

TENNESSEE SERVICE RULES — QUICK REFERENCE

Primary Authority: Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure 5.01–5.05, Rule 5B, and Rule 6.05 govern service of papers after the initial process in Tennessee civil actions.

Who Must Be Served (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.01): Every order required by its terms to be served; every pleading subsequent to the original complaint unless the court orders otherwise; every paper relating to discovery that is required to be served; every written motion (except one which may be heard ex parte); and every other paper must be served upon each of the parties. Service on a represented party is made upon the attorney.

Authorized Methods of Service (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02):

• Rule 5.02(1) — Conventional Service: Personal delivery; leaving at the attorney's office with a clerk or responsible person; if office closed, leaving at dwelling with person of suitable age and discretion; or service by mail.
• Rule 5.02(2) — Electronic Mail: Service by email with written consent of the recipient. The certificate must include specific required elements (see Part III-D below).
• Rule 5.02(3) — E-Service via Court E-Filing System: In courts that have adopted an e-filing system compliant with Rule 5B and the Tennessee Supreme Court's technological standards, service may be made through the e-filing system.

Mail Service — Three-Day Extension (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 6.05): When a period of time to act begins to run upon service of a notice or other paper, and service is made by mail, three (3) additional days are added to the prescribed period. This extension applies only to mail service, not to electronic service.

Tennessee E-Filing: Trial courts in Tennessee may adopt electronic filing systems by local rule, provided the system complies with Rule 5B and the technological standards of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Attorneys must confirm whether the specific court has adopted a compliant e-filing system. Not all Tennessee trial courts have done so.

Email Service Certificate Requirements (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(2)): A certificate of email service must include: (1) caption of the action; (2) trial court file number; (3) title of the document; (4) number of pages including exhibits; (5) sender's name, address, telephone number, and email address; (6) email address of each recipient; and (7) date and time of transmission. The certificate must also include the following notice: "If you did not receive this document, please contact the sender immediately to receive an electronic or physical copy of this document."

Proof of Service (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.03): Proof of service is made by the certificate of a member of the Tennessee bar, or by affidavit of the person serving the copy, or by other proof satisfactory to the court.

Fax Service: Authorized by local rule in certain courts (e.g., Nashville/Davidson County Circuit Court under Local Rule 5A.02). Attorneys must confirm whether fax service is authorized in the specific court.

Service on Self-Represented Parties: Self-represented parties who have not consented in writing to email service or who are not registered users of the court's adopted e-filing system must be served by conventional means (mail or personal delivery) under Rule 5.02(1).

PART I — CASE CAPTION

STATE OF TENNESSEE
IN THE [________________________________] COURT FOR [________________________________] COUNTY

[________________________________],
Plaintiff(s),

vs. Docket No.: [________________________________]

[________________________________],
Defendant(s).

Presiding Judge: [________________________________]
Division: [________________________________]
Court Term: [________________________________]

PART II — IDENTIFICATION OF DOCUMENT(S) SERVED

Title(s) of Document(s) Served:

1. [________________________________]
2. [________________________________]
3. [________________________________]
4. [________________________________]
5. [________________________________]

(Attach additional sheet if necessary)

Total Pages Served (including all exhibits and attachments): [____]

Date of Service: [__/__/____]

PART III — PARTIES AND COUNSEL SERVED

Party/Counsel No. 1:

Name: [________________________________]
Law Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], TN [________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Tennessee BPR No. (if attorney): [________________________________]
E-Filing System Registered User: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Representing: ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ Third-Party Plaintiff ☐ Third-Party Defendant ☐ Other: [____________]
Self-Represented Party: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Party/Counsel No. 2:

Name: [________________________________]
Law Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], TN [________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Tennessee BPR No. (if attorney): [________________________________]
E-Filing System Registered User: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Representing: ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ Third-Party Plaintiff ☐ Third-Party Defendant ☐ Other: [____________]
Self-Represented Party: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Party/Counsel No. 3:

Name: [________________________________]
Law Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], TN [________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Tennessee BPR No. (if attorney): [________________________________]
E-Filing System Registered User: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Representing: ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ Third-Party Plaintiff ☐ Third-Party Defendant ☐ Other: [____________]
Self-Represented Party: ☐ Yes ☐ No

(Attach additional sheets for additional parties)

PART IV — METHOD OF SERVICE

Select all methods used. If different parties were served by different methods, note which method applies to which party.

A. E-Service via Court-Adopted Electronic Filing System (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(3), 5B)

☐ Electronic Service via Court-Adopted E-Filing System

This court has adopted an electronic filing system compliant with Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5B and the Tennessee Supreme Court's technological standards. The document(s) was served through the court's e-filing system as authorized by Rule 5.02(3). E-service is complete upon transmission through the e-filing system.

Name of E-Filing System Used: [________________________________]
Date of E-Service: [__/__/____]
Time of E-Service: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Transaction/Confirmation Number: [________________________________]

Parties/counsel served via e-filing system:
Name: [________________________________] Email: [________________________________]
Name: [________________________________] Email: [________________________________]

Note: No mail extension days are added when service is completed through the court's e-filing system under Rule 5.02(3). Confirm by local rule that this court has adopted a system compliant with Rule 5B.

B. Service by United States Mail (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(1))

☐ First-Class U.S. Mail — Postage Prepaid

I enclosed the document(s) in a sealed envelope with first-class postage fully prepaid, addressed as identified in the service list, and deposited said envelope in the United States mail.

IMPORTANT — MAIL SERVICE EXTENSION: Pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 6.05, when service is made by mail, three (3) additional days are added to any response or action period that begins running upon service of the document.

Date of Mailing: [__/__/____]
Post Office/Mailing Location: [________________________________], Tennessee
City and State: [________________________________]

☐ Certified Mail — Return Receipt Requested
Certified Mail Article Number(s): [________________________________]
Return Receipt Received: ☐ Yes Date: [__/__/____] ☐ No/Pending

Parties/counsel served by mail:
Name: [________________________________] Address: [________________________________]
Name: [________________________________] Address: [________________________________]

C. Personal or Hand Delivery (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(1))

☐ Personal Delivery — Directly to Attorney or Party

A copy of the document(s) was hand-delivered to the attorney or party of record.

Delivered to: [________________________________]
Capacity: ☐ Attorney of Record ☐ Party ☐ Authorized Representative
Address of Delivery: [________________________________]
Date of Delivery: [__/__/____]
Time of Delivery: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Delivered by: [________________________________]

☐ Left at Office — Clerk or Responsible Person

The document(s) was left at the attorney's office with a clerk or other responsible person.

Name of Person with Whom Left: [________________________________]
Title/Capacity: [________________________________]
Office Address: [________________________________]
Date and Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

☐ Left at Dwelling/Usual Place of Abode

The office was closed; the document(s) was left at the dwelling house or usual place of abode with a person of suitable age and discretion.

Name of Person with Whom Left: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Date and Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

D. Electronic Mail Service (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(2) — Written Consent Required)

☐ Service by Electronic Mail (Email)

Written consent to accept email service was obtained from the party/counsel to be served. Per Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(2), this certificate includes all required elements:

• Caption of the action: [________________________________]
• Trial court file number: [________________________________]
• Title of transmitted document: [________________________________]
• Number of pages (including exhibits): [____]
• Sender's name: [________________________________]
• Sender's address: [________________________________]
• Sender's telephone number: [________________________________]
• Sender's email address: [________________________________]

• Email address of each recipient:
  [________________________________]
  [________________________________]

• Date and time of transmission: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

The following notice was included in the email transmission: "If you did not receive this document, please contact the sender immediately to receive an electronic or physical copy of this document."

Written consent obtained from: [________________________________]
Date Consent Obtained: [__/__/____]
No failed/undeliverable notification received: ☐ Confirmed

E. Facsimile Service (Local Rule Authorization Required — Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5A.02)

☐ Service by Facsimile

Fax service is authorized by the following local rule or court order (confirm authorization before using):

Local Rule/Order Authority: [________________________________]

Fax Number(s) Used: [________________________________]
Date and Time of Transmission: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Number of Pages Transmitted (including cover page): [____]
Fax Transmission Confirmed: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Note: Fax filing and service is authorized by local rule in some Tennessee courts, including Nashville/Davidson County Circuit Court under Local Rule 5A.02. Attorneys must confirm that fax service is authorized in the court where the action is pending.

F. Commercial Overnight Delivery

☐ Service by Commercial Overnight Delivery Service

The document(s) was deposited with a commercial delivery service for overnight delivery.

Carrier Name: [________________________________]
Tracking Number: [________________________________]
Date of Deposit: [__/__/____]
Delivery Address: [________________________________]
Delivery Confirmed: ☐ Yes — Date: [__/__/____] ☐ Pending

PART V — SELF-REPRESENTED PARTY SERVICE

(Complete if any party is self-represented/pro se)

☐ One or more parties in this action are self-represented (pro se).

Self-Represented Party Name: [________________________________]
Service Address on File with Court: [________________________________]
Email Address (if consented): [________________________________]

Method of service on self-represented party:
☐ U.S. Mail — Address: [________________________________]
☐ Personal delivery
☐ Email (written consent on file — date: [__/__/____])
☐ Court e-filing system (confirmed registered user)

Guidance: Self-represented parties who have not provided written consent to email service and who are not registered users of the court's adopted e-filing system must be served by mail or personal delivery under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(1).

PART VI — CERTIFICATE BY MEMBER OF THE TENNESSEE BAR (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.03)

I, [________________________________], a member of the bar of the State of Tennessee, Tennessee BPR No. [________________________________], certify:

1. I am the attorney for ☐ Plaintiff(s) ☐ Defendant(s) ☐ Third Party ☐ Other: [____________] in the above-captioned action.

2. On [__/__/____], I served or caused to be served a true and correct copy of the document(s) identified in Part II upon all parties and/or counsel of record identified in Part III, by the method(s) specified in Part IV.

3. This service was performed in compliance with the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure, including Rule 5.

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

Tennessee BPR No.: [________________________________]

Law Firm: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

City, State, Zip: [________________________________], TN [________]

Phone: [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

PART VII — AFFIDAVIT OF SERVICE BY NON-ATTORNEY (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.03)

(Complete if service was performed by someone other than a Tennessee bar member)

I, [________________________________], declare under penalty of perjury:

1. I am over the age of 18 years and am not a party to this action.

2. My business/residence address is: [________________________________], [________________________________], Tennessee [________].

3. On [__/__/____], I served a copy of the document(s) identified in Part II upon the persons identified in Part III, by the method(s) identified in Part IV.

4. This service was performed in compliance with Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Tennessee that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on [__/__/____], at [________________________________], Tennessee.

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

PART VIII — PROOF OF ELECTRONIC SERVICE (Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(3))

(Complete if service was made through a court-adopted e-filing system)

I, [________________________________], Tennessee BPR No. [________________________________], certify:

1. On [__/__/____], at approximately [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m., I electronically served the document(s) identified in Part II through the court's adopted e-filing system: [________________________________].

2. The e-filing system transmitted notification of service to the following registered participants:
   Name: [________________________________] Email: [________________________________]
   Name: [________________________________] Email: [________________________________]

3. Transaction/Confirmation Number: [________________________________]

4. No electronic notification of failed or undeliverable transmission was received.

Signature: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

PART IX — TENNESSEE SERVICE SUMMARY TABLE

Key Reminders for Tennessee Practitioners:

• Not all Tennessee trial courts have adopted a Rule 5B compliant e-filing system. Always confirm the specific court's adoption status before relying on Rule 5.02(3) e-service.
• Email service under Rule 5.02(2) requires advance written consent and a certificate with all prescribed elements, including the non-receipt notice.
• Fax service requires local rule authorization. Confirm applicability before using fax service.
• Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 requires redaction of sensitive personal information in filed documents.
• Davidson County Chancery Court and Circuit Court may have additional local rules; check current local rules before filing.

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02 (How Made): Tennessee Courts
• Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.03 (Proof of Service): Tennessee Courts
• Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5B (Electronic Filing): Tennessee Courts
• Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.05 (Filing): Tennessee Courts
• Nashville Fax Filing Rule 5A.02: Circuit Court Clerk Nashville
• Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02 PDF: Tennessee Courts PDF