Actual notice is a

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

term, used most frequently in

civil procedure Civil procedure is the body of law that sets out the rules and standards that courts follow when adjudicating civil lawsuits (as opposed to procedures in criminal law matters). These rules govern how a lawsuit or case may be commenced; what kin ...

. It is notice (usually to a defendant in a civil proceeding) delivered in such a way as to give legally sufficient assurance that actual knowledge of the matter has been conveyed to the recipient.Law.com Dictionary
/ref> Personal service, that is, physically handing something to an individual, is usually considered the least-disputable method of giving actual notice. Actual notice may be contrasted with

constructive notice Constructive notice is the legal fictionThe phrase "legal fiction" should not be construed to mean that the concept of constructive notice is legally invalid. that signifies that a person or entity should have known, as a reasonable person would hav ...

, which is a way of giving notice that may not immediately bring the matter to the attention of the individual that is intended to receive the notice. Constructive notice includes, among other methods, service on an agent or family member, service by posting (on the front door), and service by publication (as in a newspaper).

References

Legal terminology Civil procedure {{law-term-stub