Many times a case gets dismissed for failure to provide adequate notice to the other party that a complaint has been filed.  This is because the the other party has a right to be given notice of any actions taken against them or that they are named in a proceeding.  So, when you file a Massachusetts Complaint for Contempt, you are given a summons by the Clerk’s Office. That summons tells the defendant that a complaint has been filed against them and that they are required to appear at a hearing. As the plaintiff in the matter, it is your responsibility to serve that summons to the other party, along with a copy of your complaint. So, how do you do this?

You will need the other party’s address, of course.  At that point, you can simply contact the local sheriff’s department, which are organized by county, and arrange with their “civil service” department for service of the complaint.  There may be a fee for this.  Be sure to do this as quickly as you can and alert the sheriff’s department of the pending court date. Many courts issue dates within a month or so of the summons date.  You want to give the other party plenty of notice to appear.

It’s as simple as that!  Complaints for contempt or modification can often get more complex.  Contact our office and we can provide you with the guidance to resolve your case.