The foregoing provisions of this Chapter do not apply to the sevice of a summons or other process, or of any paper to bring a party into contempt.
§ 1016.Inapplicability to Contempt
Title 14. Of Miscellaneous Provisions · Chapter 5. Notices, and Filing and Service of Papers · Enacted 1872 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1016 states that this chapter's service rules do not apply to service of a summons or other process, or to papers used to bring a party into contempt.
Full Text of § 1016
Plain-English Summary
This is a short carve-out that keeps Chapter 5's service rules in their proper lane. The chapter's provisions on notices — how they're served, what extensions apply, and so on — don't govern the service of a summons or other process, which follow their own separate rules elsewhere in the code.
The same exclusion applies to papers seeking to bring a party into contempt. Both of these categories carry higher stakes than an ordinary motion notice, and both are governed by their own specific service requirements rather than this chapter's general framework.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chapter 5's notice-service framework apply to service of a summons?
No. Section 1016 exempts service of a summons or other process from this chapter's provisions.
Does it apply to papers used to hold someone in contempt?
No, those are also excluded from this chapter's coverage.
Amendment History
Enacted 1872.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: inapplicability of service rules to summons california