A Summons and Complaint letter is a solemn legal document which is given the utmost attention. A summon letter and a complaint letter serve different purposes. For starters, a complaint is filed by a plaintiff’s attorney (A plaintiff is a party that is bringing forth a civil lawsuit in court.) The grieved party serves a complaint to the relevant authorities about a matter of concern. The aim is to initiate legal proceedings about the case to resolve the issue at the earliest.
A Summons letter, on the other hand, is a written notice which is usually attached to the complaint letter. It notifies the defendant and the court that the complaint has been brought forth to the attention of all concerned parties. The first date of appearance is also listed in the Summons letter.
A civil lawsuit can only begin once these letters have been served. These are official documents that are written for issues such as household disputes with owners and tenants, complaints against the workings of the municipality in an area etc. Below mentioned is the sample and template format of the letter.
Tips For Writing A Summons & Complaints Letter
- Tone: It is a legal document and therefore should follow a very formal tone. Do not mention extra information that might not be relevant to the case. Keep it precise with all important information underlined.
- Provide Evidence: Make sure you attach a photocopy of documents related to the matter. In your letter, highlight the list of copies you have attached to it. Make sure these documents are self-attested.
- Date: Mention the date of the event, the date of the day you filed your complaint along with the date within which you expect a reply from the defendant.
- Keep Copies: Make several copies of your letter along with the defendant’s replies. This will be important pieces of communication and proof to bring up in court.
Template For Writing A Summons & Complaints Letter
Below is a template to help you customize your own Summons and Complaints Letter
From,
_______
____________
_____________
Date: _____
To,
_________
__________
_________________
Subject: Summons and Complaints Letter
Respected Sir/Madam,
My plaintiff, Mr/Ms__(name) has filed a complaint against you on the grounds of ____(reason) on the ____(date).
My plaintiff resides in ___(locality) and has time and again brought to notice the irregularity of good quality water supply to the colony which was promised to the residents by the building’s developers.__________________________________(write about the inconvenience caused by the same)
I request the concerned authorities to look into the matter as soon as possible and also provide compensation to those affected by this matter. We expect a reply within two weeks of the date of this letter. I have attached the following documents with this letter-
- ____________
- ________________
- ______________
The date of the first court hearing has been set for 8th April 2017. We will proceed with formalities of depositions and investigations before the date of the hearing.
Thank you.
Yours Faithfully,
___________
Attorney
Sample Letter
321 Sarita Vihar
TR Road
123456, New Delhi
6th March’17
To,
456 Main Office
KL Road
2344553, New Delhi
Subject: Summons and Complaint Letter
Respected Sir,
My plaintiff, Mr Ajay Kumar has filed a complaint against you on the grounds of Unfit Supply of Water on the 5th March 2017
My plaintiff resides in TR Road and has time and again brought to notice the irregularity of good quality water supply to the colony which was promised to the residents by the building’s developers. A drop in the water quality is now leading to the spread of several water-borne diseases such as cholera amongst the kids and the elderly of our society.
I request the concerned authorities to look into the matter as soon as possible and also provide compensation to those affected by this matter. We expect a reply within two weeks of the date of this letter. I have attached the following documents with this letter-
- Pictures of brackish water from taps.
- Water quality reports.
- Photocopies of previous complaints.
The date of the first court hearing has been set for 8th April 2017. We will proceed with formalities of depositions and investigations before the date of the hearing.
Thank you
Rajkumar
Attorney
Email Format
If you wish to file your complaint via email, then follow the format given below
From: Sender’s ID (sender@email.com)
To: Receiver’s ID (receiver@email.com)
Subject: Summons and Complaint Letter
Respected Sir,
My plaintiff, Mr Jay Kumar has filed a complaint against you on the grounds of Unfit Supply of Water on the 5th March 2017
My plaintiff resides in TR Road and has time and again brought to notice the irregularity of good quality water supply to the colony which was promised to the residents by the building’s developers. A drop in the water quality is now leading to the spread of several water-borne diseases such as cholera amongst the kids and the elderly of our society.
I request the concerned authorities to look into the matter as soon as possible and also provide compensation to those affected by this matter. We expect a reply within two weeks of the date of this letter. I have attached the following documents with this letter-
- Pictures of brackish water from taps.
- Water quality reports.
- Photocopies of previous complaints.
The date of the first court hearing has been set as 8th April 2017. We will proceed with formalities of depositions and investigations before the date of the hearing.
Thank you,
Rajkumar
Attorney