Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Amendments Act of 1982
Public Law 97-462 · H.R. 7154 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jan 12, 1983 · Law
Sponsor: Rep. Don Edwards (D-CA-10)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Robert McClory
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(House agreed to Senate amendment with an amendment)
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Amendments Act of 1982 - Amends the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to provide that upon the filing of a civil complaint the clerk shall issue a summons and deliver the summons to the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney, who shall be responsible for prompt service of the summons and a copy of the complaint.
Provides that process, other than a subpoena or a summons and complaint, shall be served by a U.S. marshal or deputy U.S. marshal, or by a specially appointed person. Provides that a summons and complaint shall, at the request of the party seeking service or such party's attorney, be served by a U.S. marshal or deputy U.S. marshal, or by a specially appointed person only: (1) on behalf of an individual authorized to proceed in forma pauperis; (2) on behalf of the United States; or (3) pursuant to an order issued by a court stating that a U.S. marshal or deputy U.S. marshal, or specially appointed person, is required to serve the summons and complaint.
Authorizes the service of a summons and complaint upon a defendant by first class mail.
Provides that if service of the summons and complaint is not made within 120 days after filing the complaint and the party on whose behalf such service was required cannot show good cause why such service was not made within that period, the action shall be dismissed without prejudice upon the court's own initiative with notice to such party or upon motion.
Sets forth forms for the notice and acknowledgment for service by mail.
Increases the penalty for nondiplomatic foreign agents who do not submit notification to the Secretary of State prior to acting in the United States from $5,000 to $75,000.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Jan 12, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-462.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jan 3, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 21, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendmentto the Senate amendment by Voice Vote.
- Dec 20, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Concurred, in Senate Amendments , with Amendments.
- Dec 19, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Judiciary Committee
- Dec 15, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Sep 27, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 21, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.