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AO 441

Summons on Third-Party Complaint

Federal · United States Courts · Effective July 1, 2010

This form is a notice that a lawsuit has been filed against a person by another defendant, who is acting as a third-party plaintiff. It tells the person they must respond to the complaint or file a motion with the court within a certain number of days.

Open the official PDFfrom United States Courts

Where this fits in a case

Start a case

Stage: Start a case

This form is used when one defendant in a lawsuit makes a claim against a third person, asking the court to make that third person pay money owed to the first defendant.

Either party may file.

Common questions

What does this form mean?
This form is a summons that tells you a lawsuit has been filed against you by a defendant who is acting as a third-party plaintiff. This third party is claiming you owe them money related to the original lawsuit.
What do I have to do after I get this?
You must serve an answer or a motion on the plaintiff and the defendant within a specific number of days. If you do not respond, the court may enter a judgment against you by default.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect July 1, 2010.

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