Rule 5.Service and Filing of Pleadings and Other Papers.

Last amended January 1, 2025 · Last verified July 6, 2026

In one sentenceRule 5 requires every order, later pleading, discovery paper, written motion, and notice to be served on the other parties after the original complaint, spells out how that service and the underlying court filing must be carried out, and requires parties to keep the court and each other current on their address and phone number.

Full Text of Rule 5

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i)

(a) Service—When Required. Every order required by its terms to be served, every pleading subsequent to the original complaint unless the court otherwise orders because of numerous defendants, every paper relating to discovery required to be served upon a party unless the court otherwise orders, every written motion other than one which may be heard ex parte, and every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, and similar paper shall be served upon each of the parties but no service need be made on parties in default for failure to appear except that pleadings asserting new or additional claims for relief against them shall be served upon them in the manner provided for service of summons in Rule 4.

In an action begun by seizure of property, whether through arrest, attachment, garnishment or similar process, in which no person need be or is named as defendant, any service required to be made prior to the filing of an answer, claim, or appearance shall be made upon the person having custody or possession of the property at the time of its seizure.

(b) Service—How Made. Whenever under these rules service is required or permitted to be made upon a party represented by an attorney the service shall be made upon the attorney unless service upon the party is ordered by the court. Service upon the attorney or upon a party shall be made by delivering a copy to the attorney or party, by mailing it to the attorney’s or party’s last known address, by transmitting it to the attorney’s or party’s facsimile machine telephone number or electronic mail address as provided in Civil Rule 5.1(c), or, if no address is known, by leaving it with the clerk of the court. Delivery of a copy within this rule means: handing it to the attorney or to the party; or leaving it at the attorney’s or party’s office with a clerk or other person in charge thereof; or, if there is no one in charge, leaving it in a conspicuous place therein; or, if the office is closed or the person to be served has no office, leaving it at the attorney’s or party’s dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein. Mailing of a copy means mailing it by first class United States mail. Service by mail is complete upon mailing. Service by a commercial delivery company constitutes service by delivery and is complete upon delivery.

(c) Service—Numerous Defendants. In any action in which there are unusually large numbers of defendants, the court, upon motion or of its own initiative, may order that service of the pleadings of the defendants and replies thereto need not be made as between the defendants and that any cross-claim, counterclaim, or matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense contained therein shall be deemed to be denied or avoided by all other parties and that the filing of any such pleading and service thereof upon the plaintiff constitutes due notice of it to the parties. A copy of every such order shall be served upon the parties in such manner and form as the court directs.

(d) Filing.

(1) Except as provided in (2) of this paragraph, all papers after the complaint required to be served upon a party shall be filed with the court either before service or within a reasonable time thereafter.

(2) Unless filing is ordered by the court on motion of a party or on its own motion, the following may not be filed unless and until they are used in the proceedings:

(i) disclosures under Rule 26(a);

(ii) notices of taking depositions and transcripts of depositions;

(iii) interrogatories and requests for admissions and answers thereto;

(iv) requests for production and responses thereto;

(v) subpoenas, including subpoenas duces tecum;

(vi) offers of judgment;

(vii) proof of service of any of the above;

(viii) copies of correspondence between counsel;

(ix) exhibits.

(e) Filing With the Court Defined. The filing of pleadings and other papers with the court as required by these rules shall be made by filing them with the clerk of the court at the court location where the case is filed unless otherwise directed by the court, except that the judge may permit the papers to be filed with the judge, in which event the judge shall note thereon the filing date and forthwith transmit them to the office of the clerk. Papers may be filed by facsimile transmission or electronic mail only as permitted by Civil Rule 5.1(a).

(f) Proof of Service. Proof of service of all papers required or permitted to be served, other than those for which a particular method of proof is prescribed in these rules, must state the name of each person who has been served, must show the day and manner of service and may be by written acknowledgment of service, by certificate of an attorney, an authorized agent of the attorney, or a pro se litigant, by affidavit of the person who served the papers, or by any other proof satisfactory to the court. Proof of service must be made promptly and in any event before action is to be taken on the paper served by the court or the parties. Failure to make the proof of service required by this subdivision does not affect the validity of service; and the court may at any time allow the proof of service to be amended or supplied unless it clearly appears that to do so would result in material prejudice to the substantial rights of any party.

(g) Service After Final Judgment.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b) of this rule requiring service upon an attorney, a party who has been represented by an attorney in an action or proceeding shall be served rather than the attorney in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) with a motion or other request for relief filed in the action or proceeding where a period of one year has elapsed since the filing of any paper or the issuance of any process in the action or proceeding, and

(i) The final judgment or decree has been entered and the time for filing an appeal has expired, or

(ii) If an appeal has been taken, the final judgment or decree upon remand has been entered or the mandate has been issued affirming the judgment or decree, and

(iii) The party’s attorney has not filed a notice of continued representation under Rule 81(e)(2).

(2) If a party is served under circumstances described in Section (1) of this paragraph, or if a party appeared in his or her own behalf in the prior action or proceeding, the paper served shall include notice to the party of the party’s right to file written opposition or response, the time within which such opposition or response must be filed, and the place where it must be filed.

(h) Service on Custody Investigator and Guardian Ad Litem. In all cases involving the custody or visitation of a minor in which a custody investigator or a guardian ad litem has been appointed, the parties shall serve the custody investigator and the guardian ad litem with all pleadings involving the care, custody, or control of the minor.

(i) Changes in Addresses and Telephone Numbers. While a case is pending, the parties must immediately inform the court and all other parties, in writing, of any changes in their mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers, except as provided in Civil Rule 65.1.

End

Amendment History

(Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 258 effective November 15, 1976; by SCO 354 effective April 1, 1979; by SCO 372 effective August 15, 1979; by SCO 375 effective August 15, 1979; by SCO 410 effective May 15, 1980; by SCO 471 effective June 1, 1981; by SCO 522 effective October 1, 1982; by SCO 695 effective September 15, 1986; by SCO 731 effective December 15, 1986; by SCO 817 effective August 1, 1987; by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994; by SCO 1172 effective July 15, 1995; by SCO 1295 effective January 15, 1998; by SCO 1307 effective January 15, 1998; by SCO 1414 effective October 15, 2000; by SCO 1424 effective April 15, 2001; by SCO 1482 effective October 15, 2002; by SCO 1570 effective October 15, 2005; by SCO 1786 effective October 15, 2012; by SCO 1862 effective January 1, 2016; by SCO 1939 effective January 1, 2019; and by SCO 2030 effective January 1, 2025)

Notes

Note: Section 132 of ch. 87 SLA 1997 adds AS 25.27.265(c) which authorizes the court to allow CSED to serve a party by mailing documents to the last known address on file with the agency. This is permitted only if the court finds that CSED has made diligent efforts to serve documents in the appropriate manner. According to § 153 of the Act, § 132 has the effect of amending Civil Rules 4 and 5 by allowing service at the opposing party’s last known address on file with the child support enforcement agency in certain circumstances.

Note: Chapter 65, SLA 2018 (HB 170) enacted comprehensive changes to securities laws. According to section 30(a) of the Act, AS 45.56.630(c) - (e), enacted by section 25 of the Act, have the effect of changing Civil Rules 4 and 5, effective January 1, 2019, by allowing service on the administrator (in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development) in certain cases.

Note: Chapter 11, SLA 2024 (HB 66) enacted changes to mental health commitment procedures. According to sec. 63 of the Act, AS 47.30.700(d) enacted by sec. 48 of the Act has the effect of changing Civil Rules 4 and 5 by restricting the permissible methods by which a court order may be served on a party.

Plain-English Summary

Once a case is under way, Rule 5 takes over from Rule 4: every order, every pleading after the original complaint, discovery papers, written motions, and notices must be served on every party (with a shortcut for cases with numerous defendants, if the court allows it). The rule sets out how service happens — by handing or mailing the paper to a party's attorney, or sending it by fax or e-mail when that party has consented under Rule 5.1(c) — and separately defines what it means to “file” something with the court at all.

Rule 5 also reaches beyond ordinary service: it covers proof of service, service after a final judgment, and the special notice required when a custody investigator or guardian ad litem is involved in a case. Because so much of this depends on the court and the other parties being able to reach someone, (i) requires a party to promptly update the court and everyone else whenever an address or phone number changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What has to be served on the other parties under Rule 5?

Every order, every pleading filed after the original complaint, every paper relating to discovery, every written motion, and every notice, subject to a few exceptions such as parties in default for failing to appear.

What counts as "filing" a document with the court?

Rule 5(e) defines it, and the paper goes to the clerk at the court location where the case is filed, or to the judge if the judge allows it, as elaborated in Rule 5.1 for fax and e-mail filing.

What if my address or phone number changes during a case?

Rule 5(i) requires prompt written notice to the court and all other parties of any change in mailing address, e-mail address, or telephone number, except as Civil Rule 65.1 provides.

Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 5). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alaska (Alaska Const. art. IV, § 15). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: serving pleadings in Alaskaproof of service Alaskafiling with the court Alaskachanging address during a lawsuitAlaska R. Civ. P. 5