Practical guide

How to draft a writ of summons with AI

2 min read · Updated May 2026 · Editorial oversight: Avv. Federico Papa

The writ of summons institutes ordinary civil proceedings of first instance. Art. 163 of the Italian Code of Civil Procedure, as amended by the Cartabia reform (Legislative Decree No. 149/2022), sets out its mandatory requirements on pain of nullity: both the editio actionis and the vocatio in ius must be clear and complete.

In brief

The writ of summons under Art. 163 of the Italian Code of Civil Procedure, amended by the Cartabia reform (Legislative Decree No. 149/2022), institutes ordinary proceedings. Mandatory requirements under pain of nullity include identifying the court and parties, specifying the relief sought, and legal grounds. Art. 164 sanctions ambiguous statements. The reform necessitates specific listing of evidence and documents. The vocatio in ius must include invitations to appear under Art. 166, statutory warnings, and the 120 day term. AI guides the drafting structure.

The steps

  1. 1.

    Determine competent court and parties

    Identify the court with subject-matter, value, and territorial jurisdiction, and fully identify the parties (Art. 163, Nos. 1 and 2, Code of Civil Procedure).

  2. 2.

    Set out petitum and causa petendi

    Specify the relief sought (No. 3) and set out the facts and legal grounds supporting the claim in a clear and specific manner (No. 4): an ambiguous statement entails nullity under Art. 164 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

  3. 3.

    List evidence and documents

    List specifically the evidence and documents relied upon (No. 5): the strict preclusion terms introduced by the Cartabia reform render initial completeness essential.

  4. 4.

    Complete the summons (vocatio in ius)

    Include the invitation to enter an appearance within the terms of Art. 166 of the Code of Civil Procedure and the statutory warnings under No. 7 (forfeitures, mandatory legal representation, and legal aid), ensuring compliance with the 120-day appearance term.

Legal basis: art. 163 c.p.c.art. 164 c.p.c.d.lgs. 149/2022

Related checklist: what to check before serving a writ of summons prepared with AI

What edit.legal automates

  • —Structures the writ pursuant to post-Cartabia Art. 163, incorporating updated statutory warnings
  • —Drafts the statement of facts directly from the documents uploaded to the case file
  • —Suggests relevant Supreme Court (Corte di Cassazione) case law with verified citations

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This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice for your specific case.