Effecting service of an originating process that names the Commonwealth or the Attorney-General as a party
Effecting personal service of an originating process that names the Commonwealth of Australia as a party
Personal service of an originating process that names the Commonwealth of Australia as a party can be effected at an AGS office. Certain AGS lawyers have been appointed to accept personal service of such a process under s 63 of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth).
You can ring one of the following AGS offices to make an appointment to attend an office to effect personal service:
- Canberra: 02 6253 7000
- Adelaide: 08 8205 4211
- Brisbane: 07 3360 5600
- Darwin: 08 8943 1444
- Hobart: 03 6210 2100
- Melbourne: 03 9242 1222
- Perth: 08 9268 1199
- Sydney: 02 9581 7777
Effecting personal service of an originating process that names the Attorney-General as a party
Personal service of an originating process that names the Attorney-General or Michelle Rowland (in relation to her role as the Attorney-General) as a party can also be effected at an AGS office. Certain AGS lawyers have been appointed to accept personal service of such a process. You can ring one of the AGS offices on the numbers above to make an appointment to attend an office to effect personal service of an originating process that names the Attorney-General. Upon receipt, AGS will provide the originating process to the Attorney-General’s Department.
Providing an originating process that names the Commonwealth or the Attorney-General electronically
AGS has set up an e-mail inbox that can be used to facilitate service of an originating process that names the Commonwealth of Australia or the Attorney-General as a party. The email address for the inbox is processservice@ags.gov.au.
The inbox may only be used to email an originating process (such as a writ of summons, an initiating application, an originating summons, an originating statement of claim or petition). Sending an originating process to this email address will not ordinarily constitute effective service. However, when you send an originating process to this email address, AGS will forward the originating process to the relevant Commonwealth department or agency, or their lawyer, in order for them to contact you and advise whether service is accepted. If you use this inbox, you will receive an automatic reply confirming that you will be contacted by the relevant Commonwealth department or agency, or their lawyer, about whether service is accepted.
The inbox is not intended for other kinds of court documents (such as a subpoena or notice to produce) or matter-related correspondence where the AGS is the solicitor on the record. Such documents or correspondence should be emailed to the relevant AGS lawyer (or, if AGS is not acting in that matter, to the lawyers with conduct of the matter).
The inbox is not for general correspondence intended for the Office of the Attorney-General, or the Attorney-General’s Department. For further information please visit:
For other parts of the Commonwealth, you should provide correspondence in the usual way.
Please contact an AGS office for further information.