Cite as: 517 U. S. 654 (1996)
Opinion of the Court
suits of the kind Henderson commenced "may be brought . . . within two years after the cause of action arises." § 745. Henderson brought his action well within that time period. He commenced suit, as Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 3 instructs, simply "by filing a complaint with the court." 2
Having timely filed his complaint, Henderson attempted to follow the Federal Rules on service. It is undisputed that the following Rules, and nothing in the Suits in Admiralty Act, furnished the immediately relevant instructions. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(a) (1988) provided: "Upon the filing of the complaint the clerk shall forthwith issue a summons and deliver the summons to the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney, who shall be responsible for prompt service of the summons and a copy of the complaint." Rule 4(b) provided: "The summons shall be signed by the clerk, [and] be under the seal of the court." Rule 4(d) stated: "The summons and complaint shall be served together." 3
A series of slips occurred in obtaining the summons required by Rule 4. Henderson's counsel requested the appropriate summons forms and file-stamped copies of the complaint on April 8, 1993, the day he filed Henderson's
n. 9 (citing 57 Stat. 45, as amended, 50 U. S. C. App. § 1291(a) (1988 ed.)). Henderson apparently does not contest this assertion. In any case, claims under both Acts proceed the same way. See 46 U. S. C. App. § 782 (suits under the Public Vessels Act "shall be subject to and proceed in accordance with the provisions" of the Suits in Admiralty Act).
2 In a suit on a right created by federal law, filing a complaint suffices to satisfy the statute of limitations. See West v. Conrail, 481 U. S. 35, 39 (1987). In a federal-court suit on a state-created right, however, a plaintiff must serve process before the statute of limitations has run, if state law so requires for a similar state-court suit. See Walker v. Armco Steel Corp., 446 U. S. 740, 752-753 (1980) (reaffirming Ragan v. Merchants Transfer & Warehouse Co., 337 U. S. 530 (1949)). But cf. Hanna v. Plumer, 380 U. S. 460 (1965) (method of service, as distinguished from time period for commencement of civil action, is governed by Federal Rules in all actions, including suits based on state-created rights).
3 The substance of these provisions is retained in current Rules 4(a), (b), and (c)(1).
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