Terms Used In Tennessee Code 20-2-206

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105

The original process, endorsed as provided in this section, an affidavit of the secretary of state setting forth the secretary of state’s compliance with the requirements of § 20-2-205, and the return receipt signed by, or duly in behalf of, the defendant, shall be attached together and sent to and filed by the clerk. There shall be endorsed on the original process by the secretary of state over the secretary of state’s signature the date of the secretary of state’s mailing the certified copy to the defendant and the date on which the secretary of state received the return receipt of the defendant. Thereupon service on the defendant shall be consummate. An act of a deputy or regular assistant of the secretary of state in the secretary of state’s behalf shall be deemed the equivalent of the act of the secretary of state.