NORTH CAROLINA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS — MAGISTRATE'S COURT

AOC-CVM-401 — Civil Summons (Magistrate's Court)

Small claims civil summons — accompanies the CVM-400 Complaint. Notifies the defendant of the claim and the court hearing. Free. No account required.
← FORMVANA NC FORMS VIEW ALL FORMS →
01 PLAINTIFF (PERSON FILING)
02 DEFENDANT (PERSON BEING SUED)
03 CLAIM SUMMARY
04 COURT HEARING (SET BY CLERK)
05 METHOD OF SERVICE
SELECTED COUNTY
— Select above —

⚡ NEED THE COMPLAINT?

CVM-401 accompanies the CVM-400 Complaint. Generate both for a complete small claims filing packet.

GENERATE CVM-400 COMPLAINT →

SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

  • Summons must be served at least 5 days before the hearing date
  • Sheriff service: contact the county sheriff's civil process office
  • Certified mail: USPS Certified Mail with return receipt requested
  • Keep proof of service — bring it to the hearing
  • If defendant cannot be served, contact the clerk about re-service options

STATUTORY REFERENCE

G.S. 7A-210Magistrate's court jurisdiction
G.S. 7A-211$10,000 maximum claim
G.S. 7A-216Hearing procedure
G.S. 1A-1 R4Service of process rules
AOC-CVM-401Revised Feb 2021

DEFENDANT'S RIGHTS NOTICE

  • Defendant has the right to appear and defend the claim at the hearing
  • Defendant may assert a counterclaim at the hearing
  • If defendant does not appear, a default judgment may be entered
  • Either party may appeal the magistrate's judgment within 10 days
  • Appeal requires filing a written notice with the clerk and paying the appeal fee

WHAT GETS GENERATED

  • CVM-401 Civil Summons with full case caption
  • Claim amount and nature of claim on face of summons
  • Hearing date, time, and location prominently displayed
  • Defendant rights and response instructions included
  • Court-ready PDF — letter size (8.5" × 11")