West Virginia Summons for Complaint (AO 440) is a legal document issued by the West Virginia State court system. It is used to notify a defendant that they are being sued and to provide them with the necessary information needed to respond to the complaint. The summons serves as an important step in initiating the court process for civil lawsuits. It is typically issued by the Clerk of the Court or a deputy clerk. There are two types of West Virginia Summons for Complaint (AO 440): regular summons and special summons. A regular summons is issued when the defendant is an individual, whereas a special summons is issued when the defendant is an entity such as a corporation. The summons must be properly served on the defendant in order for the court to have jurisdiction over the case. It contains information such as the court’s name, the plaintiff’s name and address, the defendant’s name, the case number, and a description of the complaint. The summons must be served within 30 days from the date it is issued or the court may dismiss the case.