Washington Summons — Civil Case is a legal document issued by a court in the state of Washington that begins a civil case. It is an order requiring the defendant to appear in court and answer the plaintiff's claims. In some cases, a Washington Summons is also used to serve notice of a lawsuit. The two main types of Washington Summons — Civil Case are Summons and Complaint and Summons to Answer Interrogatories. Summons and Complaint is the initial document that starts a civil case and is served on the defendant. It contains the plaintiff's claims and a blank Answer form for the defendant to fill out. Summons to Answer Interrogatories is used when the defendant must answer written questions about the case. A Washington Summons — Civil Case must be served on the defendant by a Washington-licensed process server. The process server must complete an Affidavit of Service form to confirm that the defendant was served. Once the defendant is served, the court will set a hearing date. The defendant must attend the hearing and may be represented by an attorney.