A Summons in a Civil Case-28 USC 1608 (60-day answer deadline; foreign state or political subdivision of foreign state only) is a legal document that is served on a foreign state or political subdivision of a foreign state to initiate a civil action. The summons informs the defendant that they have been sued and must respond to the complaint within 60 days. The summons must contain a copy of the complaint and must be served on the foreign state or political subdivision of a foreign state through appropriate diplomatic channels. There are two types of Summons in a Civil Case-28 USC 1608 (60-day answer deadline; foreign state or political subdivision of foreign state only). The first is an original summons, which is served on the foreign state or political subdivision of a foreign state to initiate the civil action. The second is an amended summons, which is served on the foreign state or political subdivision of a foreign state to modify or correct an original summons.