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28 U.S.C. § 1608

Service; time to answer; default

United States · Title 28 — JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE · Status: effective

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28 U.S.C. § 1608, Service; time to answer; default, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/465302
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Service in the courts of the United States and of the States shall be made upon a foreign state or political subdivision of a foreign state: Service in the courts of the United States and of the States shall be made upon an agency or instrumentality of a foreign state: if service cannot be made under paragraphs (1) or (2), and if reasonably calculated to give actual notice, by delivery of a copy of the summons and complaint, together with a translation of each into the official language of the foreign state— Service shall be deemed to have been made—

Legislative history

The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone.

  • Enacted byPub. L. 94-583(H.R. 11315)1976-10-21
    Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally