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Office of International Judicial Assistance

INTRODUCTION

I. EVIDENCE REQUESTS

The Office of International Judicial Assistance (OIJA) serves as the Central Authority for the United States under the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters, T.I.A.S. No. 7444, 23 U.S.T. 2555 ("HCCH 1970 Evidence Convention"), as well as for evidence requests concerning civil or commercial matters from non-Convention States received through diplomatic channels. This website is intended to assist foreign judicial authorities in formulating executable evidence requests in civil or commercial matters and communicating with OIJA about pending evidence requests. Guidance regarding requesting evidence in civil or commercial matters is found under "Evidence Requests." OIJA does not handle evidence requests in criminal matters, including requests made pursuant to mutual legal assistance treaties. Requests relating to criminal matters should be forwarded to the Office of International Affairs of the United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division (see "Criminal Requests" for more information).

II. SERVICE MATTERS

OIJA serves as the Central Authority under the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters, T.I.A.S. No. 6638, 20 U.S.T. 361 ("HCCH 1965 Service Convention"), the Inter-American Convention on Letters Rogatory, S. Treaty Doc. No. 27, 98th Cong., 2d Sess. (1984), and the Additional Protocol to the Inter-American Convention on Letters Rogatory, S. Treaty Doc. No.98–27, 58 Fed. Reg. 31,132 (1988) ("Inter-American Convention") for purposes of service. OIJA also executes service requests received through diplomatic channels from non-Convention States.  Guidance regarding requesting service of judicial and extrajudicial documents is found under "Service Requests."  Service requests are executed through a private contractor, ABC Legal. Accordingly, service requests and service-related inquiries should be sent directly to ABC Legal at 633 Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98104 USA.

OIJA plays no role with regard to requests for service from the U.S. to foreign countries or the obtaining of evidence located abroad. Any such request sent to OIJA will be returned.  In addition, OIJA is not the Central Authority for either the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or the Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance.  For more information, please visit the Central Authority for the Child Abduction Convention and the Central Authority for the Child Support Convention. OIJA plays no role in apostille or authentication processes. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications.

Updated July 7, 2023