A Practice Note explaining how to initiate a civil suit in a Pennsylvania court of common pleas by filing a praecipe for writ of summons or a complaint, properly serve each defendant with the case-initiating documents, and prove service was completed. Specifically, this Note describes how to file the case-initiating documents, what documents to serve on the defendant, when to serve the defendant, who may serve original process, and how to serve different types of individuals and entities. This Note also discusses what to do when service is not completed promptly, including how a plaintiff may secure and confirm the defendant's acceptance of service, or extend the time to serve process by reissuing or reinstating process or moving to extend a service deadline.