§720.20. Service of process upon personnel. — Inbound Citations

Where members or civilian employees are subpoenaed to appear as witnesses in State courts, and are served as described in §§ 720.20, 720.20(d) applies. If these persons are requested to appear as witnesses in State courts when the interests of the Federal Government are involved (e.g., Medical Care Recovery Act cases), follow the procedures described in § 720.22. If State authorities are attempting to obtain the presence of a member or a civilian employee as a witness in a civil or criminal case, and such person is unavailable because of an overseas assignment, the command should immediately contact the Judge Advocate General, or the Associate General Counsel (Litigation), as appropriate.

(2) When members or civilian employees are served with a subpoena to appear as a witness on the behalf of a nongovernmental party in a civil action brought in a Federal court, the provisions of § 720.20 apply.

(2) Usually, the persons described in § 720.20(c)(1) are not required to accept service of process outside the geographic limits of the jurisdiction of the court from which the process issued. In such cases, acceptance of the service is not compulsory, but service may be voluntarily accepted in accordance with § 720.20(b). In exceptional cases when the United States has agreed that service of process will be accepted by such persons when located outside the geographic limits of the jurisdiction of the court from which the process issued, the provisions of the agreement and of § 720.20(a) will govern.

(2) Usually, the persons described in § 720.20(c)(1) are not required to accept service of process outside the geographic limits of the jurisdiction of the court from which the process issued. In such cases, acceptance of the service is not compulsory, but service may be voluntarily accepted in accordance with § 720.20(b). In exceptional cases when the United States has agreed that service of process will be accepted by such persons when located outside the geographic limits of the jurisdiction of the court from which the process issued, the provisions of the agreement and of § 720.20(a) will govern.

(2) Usually, the persons described in § 720.20(c)(1) are not required to accept service of process outside the geographic limits of the jurisdiction of the court from which the process issued. In such cases, acceptance of the service is not compulsory, but service may be voluntarily accepted in accordance with § 720.20(b). In exceptional cases when the United States has agreed that service of process will be accepted by such persons when located outside the geographic limits of the jurisdiction of the court from which the process issued, the provisions of the agreement and of § 720.20(a) will govern.

Where members or civilian employees are subpoenaed to appear as witnesses in State courts, and are served as described in §§ 720.20, 720.20(d) applies. If these persons are requested to appear as witnesses in State courts when the interests of the Federal Government are involved (e.g., Medical Care Recovery Act cases), follow the procedures described in § 720.22. If State authorities are attempting to obtain the presence of a member or a civilian employee as a witness in a civil or criminal case, and such person is unavailable because of an overseas assignment, the command should immediately contact the Judge Advocate General, or the Associate General Counsel (Litigation), as appropriate.

(1) When a process server from a State or Federal court from the jurisdiction where the naval station is located requests permission to serve process aboard an installation, the command ordinarily should not prevent service of process so long as delivery is made in accordance with reasonable command regulations and is consistent with good order and discipline. Withholding service may be justified only in the rare case when the individual sought is located in an area under exclusive Federal jurisdiction not subject to any reservation by the State of the right to serve process. Questions on the extent of jurisdiction should be referred to the staff judge advocate, command counsel, or local naval legal service office. If service is permitted, an appropriate location should be designated (for example, the command legal office) where the process server and the member or employee can meet privately in order that process may be served away from the workplace. A member may be directed to report to the designated location. A civilian may be invited to the designated location. If the civilian does not cooperate, the process server may be escorted to the location of the civilian in order that process may be served. A civilian may be required to leave a classified area in order that the process server may have access to the civilian. If unusual circumstances require that the command not permit service, see § 720.20(e).