Title XVII: Time limits, bailiff's documents and notifications.

When effected at the registry’s behest, notification to the defendant of a document instituting proceedings shall include, in a very conspicuous manner: 1° Its date; 2° An indication of the court before which the claim is brought; 3° An indication that, if the defendant fails to appear, he runs the risk of judgment being given against him solely on the basis of the evidence provided by his opponent; 4° Where…

The other particulars that must be included in the notification are determined, according to the nature of the document notified, by the rules specific to each matter.

Service is effected in a sealed envelope or envelope, either by post or by delivery of the document to the addressee against a receipt. Service in the ordinary form may always be effected by delivery against a receipt even though the law would only have provided for service by post.

Subject to Article 647-1, the date of service by post is, as regards the person making the service, the date of dispatch and, as regards the person to whom the service is made, the date of receipt of the letter.

The date of dispatch of a notification made by post is the date shown on the stamp of the issuing office. The date of delivery is the date of the receipt or the endorsement. The date of receipt of a notification made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt is the date stamped by the postal administration when the letter is delivered to its addressee.

Service is deemed to have been effected personally when the notice of receipt is signed by the addressee. Service is deemed to have been effected at the addressee’s domicile or residence when the notice of receipt is signed by a person with authority to do so.

If a letter of notification is returned to the court registry and the notice of receipt has not been signed under the conditions provided for in Article 670, the court registrar shall invite the party to proceed by way of service.

If the document is intended for a person residing in French Polynesia, the Wallis and Futuna Islands, New Caledonia and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories, and unless notification could be made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, the court registrar shall send the document to the competent authority for delivery to the person concerned in accordance with the procedures applicable in the community in which he resides. The…

Where, for service abroad carried out at the behest of the court registry, a translation of the document, or of any other document, appears necessary, the translator shall be requested by the director of the court registry or the person in charge of the court registry. The translation is remunerated pursuant to Article R. 122 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The costs incurred by the service of a document…