In case personal service cannot be had by reason of the absence of the defendant from the county in which the action is sought to be commenced, it shall be proper to publish the summons or notice with a brief statement of the object and prayer of the claim or complaint, in some newspaper of general circulation in the county wherein the action is commenced, which notice shall be published not less than once a week for three weeks prior to the time fixed for the hearing of the cause, which shall not be less than four weeks from the first publication of the notice.

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Terms Used In Washington Code 12.04.100

  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
The notice may be substantially as follows:
The State of Washington,
County of . . . . . . . . . .
?
?
?
?
?
ss.
In justice’s court, . . . . . . justice.
To . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You are hereby notified that . . . . . . has filed a complaint (or claim as the case may be) against you in said court which will come on to be heard at my office in . . . . . . . ., in . . . . . . county, state of Washington, on the . . . . day of . . . . . ., A.D. (year) . . . ., at the hour of . . . . o’clock . . . .m., and unless you appear and then and there answer, the same will be taken as confessed and the demand of the plaintiff granted. The object and demand of said claim (or complaint, as the case may be) is (here insert a brief statement).
Complaint filed . . . . . ., A.D. (year) . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., J. P.
[ 2016 c 202 § 12; 1985 c 469 § 6; Code 1881 § 1720; 1873 p 337 § 27; RRS § 1766.]

NOTES:

Legal publications: Chapter 65.16 RCW.