North Carolina § 7A-217 Methods of subjecting person of defendant to jurisdiction

North Carolina Statutes

§ 7A-217 — Methods of subjecting person of defendant to jurisdiction

North Carolina § 7A-217

Ch. 7AJudicial Department

Art. 19Small Claim Actions in District Court

Subch. IVDISTRICT COURT DIVISION OF THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

This text of North Carolina § 7A-217 (Methods of subjecting person of defendant to jurisdiction) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-217 (2026).

Text

When by order or rule a small claim action is assigned to a magistrate, the court may obtain jurisdiction over the person of the defendant by the following methods:

(1)By delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to the defendant or by leaving copies thereof at the defendant's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein. When the defendant is under any legal disability, the defendant may be subjected to personal jurisdiction only by personal service of process in the manner provided by G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4(j)(2).

(2)When the defendant is not under any legal disability, the defendant may be served by registered or certified mail, signature confirmation, or designated delivery service as provided in G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4

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When by order or rule a small claim action is assigned to a magistrate, the court may obtain jurisdiction over the person of the defendant by the following methods:
(1) By delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to the defendant or by leaving copies thereof at the defendant's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein. When the defendant is under any legal disability, the defendant may be subjected to personal jurisdiction only by personal service of process in the manner provided by G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4(j)(2).
(2) When the defendant is not under any legal disability, the defendant may be served by registered or certified mail, signature confirmation, or designated delivery service as provided in G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4(j). Proof of service is as provided in G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4(j2).
(3) When the defendant is under no legal disability, the defendant may be subjected to the jurisdiction of the court over the person of the defendant by written acceptance of service or by voluntary appearance.
(4) In summary ejectment cases only, service as provided in G.S. 42-29 is also authorized. (1965, c. 310, s. 1; 1969, c. 1190, s. 20; 1973, c. 90; 1983, c. 332, s. 3; 2011-332, s. 1.1.)