Legal Definitions - Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents

The Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents is an international agreement that was signed on November 15, 1965. It outlines the procedures for serving legal documents in a foreign country.

For example, if a person or company in the United States needs to serve legal papers to someone in another country that is also a party to the convention, they can follow the guidelines set forth in the agreement to ensure that the documents are properly served.

More than 35 countries are currently parties to the Hague Convention, including the United States. This means that individuals and businesses in these countries can rely on the convention to facilitate the service of legal documents across international borders.

The Hague Convention helps to ensure that legal proceedings are fair and just, even when they involve parties from different countries. By providing clear guidelines for serving legal documents abroad, the convention helps to prevent misunderstandings and disputes that could arise from differences in legal systems and procedures.