ServeNow Help Center

Hiring a Process Server Checklist

2011-12-28T00:00:00-07:00

Having your legal documents served is a very important part of the litigation process, and many people may not know how to hire a process server or what to ask. Hiring the wrong process server could result in costly delays and even having your case dismissed, so we've compiled a checklist of things to look for and avoid. It's important to locate a trusted professional, verify their qualifications and be mindful of their fees. There are other helpful hints that we've included, and hopefully, this makes the process of hiring a process server a little easier.

Here is your checklist for hiring a process server:

Locate

Find a Trusted Process Server
Trusted networks are great because the process servers are pre-screened and you have someone to call outside of the server if there is an issue.

Verify

Verify License or Registration and Association Members
Not all states and counties require process servers to be licensed, so it's important to check.

Ask if They Have an E&O Policy or Bond
Although not required in many states, some process servers are bonded and carry Errors and Omissions Insurance.

Check Their Website
A company's website can help establish their legitimacy, and can give you more insight into the values of the people who will serve your papers.

Search for Internet Complaints
An internet search of the company's name and 'complaints' can reveal a lot about their history and if they have any unsatisfied former clients.

Ask About Their Experience
Find out how long they have been in business, if they have an area of expertise, and what their success rate is. But beware, a 100% success rate isn't realistic.

Ask for Recommendations
A trusted process server should have access to letters of recommendation and testimonials, which will give you great insight about their customer service.

Fees

Be Mindful of Price - You Get What You Pay For
$45-$70 is standard for a no-rush serve, depending on the area. It's fairly inexpensive when you consider what is being performed.

Helpful Hints

Give Specific Service Instructions
Be specific about the who, what, and where of your serve and your preferred method of receiving updates. This can help make the serve go more smoothly.
Verify the Details and Get Them in Writing
Finalize the details of the service fee, additional fees, the number of attempts, court filing, deadlines and updates, and confirm with an email.
Find Out How They Will Update You
There are many process serving software solutions that allow access, and is an easy way to get details and affidavits.
Don't Send Them the Only Copy
It's important that you have copies for your own records, so make sure you keep copies of the paperwork for yourself.

Hopefully these tips have given you a better understanding of what to look for in a process server and what steps to take to ensure you hire the best candidate. Remember, prices change based on area, and bulk serves generally lower the cost significantly. If you have further questions or are dealing with a specific type of serve, visit the ServeNow Help Center for more informative articles.

For a printable download of these tips, get our Hiring a Process Server Checklist PDF.

Find a Trusted Process Server

ServeNow is the fastest way for you to find a local, pre-screened process server. Search by the location where you need papers served and you’ll find only trusted process servers who have been pre-screened and vetted.
Join Today

Process Server vs. Sheriff: Infographic

2011-12-12T00:00:00-07:00

Who should I hire: process server or sheriff?

When you need to have legal papers served, the choice between a process server and sheriff can be a difficult one. To help you decide, ServeNow created a graphic representation, or infographic, of data gathered from 100 paralegals, legal assistants, and legal administrators who have papers served regularly. The results were based on speed of service, customer service, knowledge of laws, success rate, and average cost.

And the winner is ...

Process server. Whether you rely on statistics or direct advice from industry professionals, the process server is the preferred choice. The process server prevailed in the important areas of customer satisfaction, rules of civil procedure, speed of service, and success rate. A difference in cost of less than $15, an average that drops significantly for high-volume serves, can get your papers served quickly, legally, and with customer service in mind.

Share and Embed this!

If you found any of this information helpful, share the link with anyone who might benefit or find it interesting. At ServeNow, we're dedicated to providing valuable industry content, and created this infographic as a resource for process servers. We encourage you to post this to your legal blog or include it in your association newsletter. If you need a different size for your website, blog, or newsletter, need an accompanying article, have different printing requirements, or have any other requests regarding this piece, send us an email.

Embed thumbnail
Small (400px x 300px, 62KB)

Embed condensed version
Medium (612px x 792px, 142KB)

Embed large infographic
Large (520px x 2837px, 432KB)

Embed full size infographic
Full Size (950px x 5183px, 866KB)

Download condensed PDF for print: Infographic: Process Server vs. Sheriff (PDF)

Process Server vs. Sheriff Video

Embed the Video:

<div style="width:425px" id="__ss_10619513"> <strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.serve-now.com/articles/841/process-server-vs-sheriff-infographic" title="Process Server vs Sheriff" target="_blank">Process Server vs Sheriff<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_VG_eBrw6Vo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Process Server vs. Sheriff Slideshow

Download Power Point Presentation: Infographic: Process Server vs. Sheriff Slideshow (PPT)

Download PDF Presentation: Infographic: Process Server vs. Sheriff Slideshow (PDF)

Embed the Power Point Presentation:

<div style="width:425px" id="__ss_10619513"> <strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.serve-now.com/articles/841/process-server-vs-sheriff-infographic" title="Process Server vs Sheriff" target="_blank">Process Server vs Sheriff</a></strong> <iframe src="https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/10619513" width="425" height="355" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><div style="padding:5px 0 12px:>

75 Process Serving Professionals You Should Follow on Twitter

2011-07-11T00:00:00-06:00

Who would have ever thought you could influence the entire process serving industry with short messages of 140 characters or fewer? A dedicated group of Twitter users has been leading the charge to harness the social networking site as a source of real-time information sharing and networking for process servers. In recognition of this forward-thinking bunch, ServeNow decided to salute process serving's top tweeters.

The following is a list of the top Twitter users in the process serving industry. While there is no specific formulaic ranking that was used here, we did reference influence as measured by WeFollow, number of followers, most recent activity and tweet relevance to the industry.

If you are a process server and you actively tweet, please contact us to get added to our "Up and Coming" list at the bottom of this post.

#1 ServeNow | follow: @processservers

ServeNow.com is a network of trusted, pre-screened process servers. We connect thousands of legal professionals with qualified process servers all over the US and internationally on a daily basis. Use our quick quotes feature to quickly send your service request to process serving firms that cover a specific region.

#2 Jeff Karotkin | follow: @jhkarotkin

Jeff has more than 25 years of experience in the process serving industry. As vice president of strategic development, for One Legal LLC he is responsible for providing the vision and strategy for a nationally branded solution. Jeff is the author of the Service of Process Looking Forward blog.

#3 Rapid Legal | follow: @rapidlegal

Since 1994, Rapid Legal has been providing customers across the country with the easiest, fastest and most reliable legal support services.

#4 DGR Legal | follow: @dgr_legal

Let DGR Legal Support be your NJ, PA, and NY connection for process and subpoena service! With 28 yrs experience, we also serve nationally and internationally.

#5 Jorge Salgado-Reyes | follow: @AlliedDetective

I am part of the Allied Detectives Network with an office in Croydon and Santiago. Also writing a Sci-Fi novel set in a London of the future.

#6 Freelance Investigations | follow: @oregonpi

Free Lance is a full service Oregon Investigation & Process Serving company. Check us out.

#7 David Rolf | follow: @TagMessenger

Dave Rolf, President - tweeting collection industry news and process service related stuff just for you

#8 Ian Harm | follow: @IanHarm

Professional Investigator & Researcher, Solicitor's Enquiry Agent , Blogging and Social Media Enthusiast, Marketer & Business Man

#9 One Legal | follow: @OneLegal

Online Court Filing and Process Serving

#10 Bruce Goldner | follow: @WeServe4u

President,Legal-Ease Process Service, LLC.954-667-3783, Married, Enjoy travel, reading, yoga, movies, surf the web, live well, eat right, laugh often

#11 Jeff Bannister | follow: @onebigrhino

A South Carolina Process Server Interested in what Paralegals and Attorneys think, Process Server, Heavy Reader

#12 Front Range Legal | follow: @frlps

FRLPS is a nationwide process serving company covering a number of states including Colorado and Florida.

#13 TweetLaw | follow: @tweetlaw

Tweet with other legal professionals! Categorize your tweets. Create a free account with a profile.

#14 Cheyanne Abolt | follow: @aboltproservers

Owner of Abolt Process Service - Process Servers Nationwide

#15 Kathleen Albright | follow: @ColoradoServer

Ethical and affordable process serving in Colorado. Serving Boulder, Denver and Front Range mountain areas. Statewide services available.

#16 Roland Investigations | follow: @INVESTIGATOR69

The roots of Roland Process Service & Investigations as process servers date back to 1994. http://www.rolandinvestigations.com

#17 Stan Cunningham | follow: @cunninghampi

Process Serving services for Eugene, Springfield and outlying areas of Lane County. Personal & mobile/computer safety, marketing, and general interest tweets.

#18 Jeffrey Worth | follow: @ProcessServerOK

I am a Process Server in Enid, Oklahoma. I serve cities in the Garfield County area

#19 IRS Inc. | follow: @IRS_Inc

IRS, Inc. provides Pre-employment screening, Tenant screening, Church screening, Collections, Skip Trace, Process Service and investigative support to Law Firms

#20 Click File Serve Inc | follow: @serveprocess

Process Serving, Process Server, Court Filing, Skip Tracing, Stakeouts, Wage Garnishments, Bank Levies, Fax filing, Research.

#21 Aaron M. Rader | follow: @ProcessServerIN

Aaron M. Rader is a Process Server / Indiana Bail Agent (Bondsman); Indianapolis, Indiana. (317) 529-6650 or IndyBailBondsman@Gmail.com. NAPPS member.

#22 TAMA Investigations | follow: @surveillance_ga

Licensed Private Detective and Investigation Service helping solve any problem creatively, effectively and affordably

#23 Trace Investigations | follow: @TRACE_

Richard Collins, P.I. CEO of Trace Investigations, LLC & CPS, Colorado Process Service, Inc.

#24 McKinney Process | follow: @arprocessserver

Arkansas Process Service, serving papers and legal documents in Arkansas since 2001.

#25 TRC RAINEAR | follow: @TRCRAINEARCO

TRC RAINEAR COMPANY Nationwide Legal Process Servers NATIONAL USA COVERAGE

26. Deborah Rose @dallastxpi

27. ServeManager @ServeManager

28. Ultimate Express Services Corp @callultimate

29. A Quick Note @WeServetheOC

30. Official Investigations @offinvest

31. Seagal Invetigations @UK_PI

32. Apex Process Servers @brianatapex

33. Chris Maklary @RCInvestigation

34. Alexander - ABC Legal @ABCLegalLawyer

35. Tami Kirkham @ENVISIONProcess

36. Herberg Legal Services LLC @herberglegalsvc

37. Bob Carstensen @AustinLegalSvcs

38. Roy Cox @GWSecurity

39. Riun Lawrence @bcinvestigator

40. Firefly Legal @fireflylegal

41. Steve Carrigan @ABCLegal

42. Michael Kern @MikeKern37

43. GH Consultants Ltd @LegalAgents

44. caseXpress @caseXpress

45. Kelly Jansen @DE_PI

46. Aardvark Legal @AardvarkLegal

47. Michael Tiner @ProcessServerSD

48. DCASAS @The_Server

49. PennieMichelle White @subpoenalady

50. Cali Process Servers @SureServeInSac

51. Attorneys Choice LLC @attorneyschoice

52. Everett Process Servers @everettps

53. Tampa Investigators @Tampa_PI

54. Stacy G. Flores @txinvestigator

55. CPS, Inc. @CPSincVa

56. Kevin Satterfield @kpsinvestigate

57. LP Paralegal @lpparalegal

58. OhioSSG @OhioSSG

59. RK Agency @rkagent

60. e-Legal Services Inc @eLegalSLO

61. Edge PI @edgepi

62. S&R Process Serving @srprocessserver

63. Joe Winter @ZapServe

64. Judicial Attorney Service @judicialatty

65. Tried and True Legal @attorneysupport

66. Black Dog @blackdogagency

67. Sure Serve Etcetera @SureServeEtc

68. MJ Legal Services @MJSERVE

69. Payper Process @payperprocess

70. ProServicePlus @ProServicePlus

71. CivilMap @civilmap

72. Expeditious Process @expeditiousps

73. The Fox Agency LLC @TheFoxAgency

74. David A. Bacharach @OfficeDAB

75. Shelton Investigations, LLC @Sheltoninvestig

Up and coming...

* Kern Legal @kernlegal
* KMR Process Servers @kmrservers
* JPL Process Service @jplps
* Kathleen Chute @gotchaservedcom
* Parkside Postal @parksideamber
* JJ Associates International @philjjassociate
* Tinsley Investigative Services @TinsleyPI
* Colorado PI @COLORADOPI
* PSACO @psaco_org
* Olympic Process Service @OlympicProcess
* Bosco Legal Services, Inc @boscolegal
* Serve It Up Legal, LLC @ServeItUpLegal

Made the List!

If you made the list, you may add the following badge to your company web site to show your clients your influence in the process serving industry. And while you're at it, why not tweet this story to your faithful followers?

Copy the following code to display the badge on your site:

Tweet it Loud!

If you make the list, please click the tweet button below to share the following message with your followers: "I made the ServeNow list of top process servers to follow!"

Didn't make the List?

We tried our best to find all the active Twitter users in the industry, but I'm sure we overlooked many. Please contact us and let us know if we missed you and we will add you to our "Up and Coming" List.

About the Author
Trent Carlyle is the CTO and co-founder of Lawgical, the parent company of ServeNow. Trent works alongside the technology and marketing teams at Lawgical, developing products that help our clients grow their business and operate more efficiently. He has a passion for SEM (search engine marketing) and is very involved in the local search community in Denver.

Follow Trent on Twitter or Connect on LinkedIn.

Lawgical Promise: Service of Process You Can Trust

2011-04-18T13:57:24-06:00

When you work with a process server from the ServeNow trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers, you can rest easy knowing that the service is backed by the Lawgical Promise. The Lawgical Promise tells you that we have pre-screened and vetted the process serving firm to verify experience and qualifications. By holding our members to high standards, we aim to provide you with the consistently smooth and efficient service of process you deserve.

The Lawgical Promise also ensures that your voice is heard if you do experience complications while working with a ServeNow member. You can let us know about your problem and ServeNow will follow up to see what can be done to resolve the situation.

Find a trusted local process server today

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.

Lawgical Passport: Your Key to Better Legal Services

2011-04-18T12:31:21-06:00

The Lawgical Passport is your personal gateway to all of the tools, resources and networks required to handle your legal needs. Taking 30 seconds to create your free account now will save you time and money as you enjoy an easier, more reliable way to find, hire and collaborate with process servers.

The Passport enables you to streamline service of process from beginning to end with functions including:

Request quotes from process servers. You can request quotes from individual process serving firms, or from multiple companies at the same time using the "Quick Quotes" button.
Favorite & recommend process servers. When you experience great results with a process server from the ServeNow network, our "Favorite" and "Recommend" functions let you bookmark that process serving firm as well as recommend the firm's services to others.
Access ServeManager. By creating your Lawgical Passport, you are also creating a ServeManager account. This web-based solution allows you to assign, track and manage your serves for complete transparency during service of process.

Create Your Free Lawgical Passport Account Today

Creating your Lawgical Passport is free and takes less than 30 seconds. To create your account now, click the button below.

Create an Account

Process Server License: Which States Require One?

2011-04-14T13:22:20-06:00

When hiring a process server to serve your legal documents, you need to make sure that the person meets all federal and state requirements related to service of process. In certain states, this means checking to make sure that the person has a process server license. Many states do not require servers to be licensed, although the number of states with mandatory licensing is quickly growing. Some states require that servers be registered in their county or state, or appointed to serve in a specific county.

Process server license requirements by state

The states listed below require a statewide process server license in order to become a process server:

Alaska
Arizona
California
Illinois
Montana
Nevada
Oklahoma
Washington

In addition, Florida, Missouri and New York all have local licensing laws regarding service of process in certain areas.

Find a trusted local process server today

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.

Do I Need to Hire a Process Server?

2011-04-14T12:18:31-06:00

Hiring a professional process server will save you time and frustration, and it is beneficial to the outcome of your legal matter. Some states only require that the person serving the legal documents be at least 18 years old and not a party to the case, but if the person you get to serve the documents operates outside the boundaries of the law, your case could be jeopardized.

The following four reasons explain why you should hire a professional process server to handle your legal documents.

1) In some states, people who serve papers must have a process server license. In order to gain this status, professional process servers have been through some combination of education, training, background checks and more.

2) States have varying laws covering who can serve papers, when and where people can be served, which methods of service are allowed, what constitutes harassment or trespassing, etc. For example, in some states, it is prohibited to serve papers to someone on Sundays or certain holidays.

Unless you feel like researching every state and federal law that applies to service of process, you should leave it up to a trained professional who knows how to operate within the law. If your papers are served in a way that violates a law, it can lead to delays, complications and even dismissal of your court case.

3) Service of process isn’t always easy. The person who is to be served might be hard to locate because they moved, they are on the road often, or they simply don’t want to be found. Even if the person is located, he or she might be inclined to evade service of process by any means necessary. And if you do find the person and have your papers in hand, you might have to deal with someone who is angry about being served. Professional process servers are trained to locate hard-to-find people and serve them, as well as diffuse heated situations.

4) Process servers give you solid proof that the subject was successfully served. Their affidavit of service, or proof of service, that they provide to you following service of process is something you can submit to courts to verify that the other party was notified of legal action.

Finally, ServeNow surveyed a cross-section of legal professionals about process serving. The data from this survey was put together as an infographic and reinforces the notion you should hire a professional process server. The summary of the infographic's findings are below. You can click on the image for the complete infographic and more data.

Conclusion
If you need someone served, your best choice is to hire a professional server to handle the job. It will save you time, money and frustration, and you can rest easy knowing that the papers are in the hands of a trained professional.

Find a trusted local process server today

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.

What is an Affidavit of Service?

2011-04-14T11:55:26-06:00

An Affidavit of Service - also known as a Proof of Service - is an important document provided by process servers after they have successfully served documents to someone. This affidavit is a notarized testimony signed by the server that details the time, date, manner of service, identity of the person served and other details of the job. If a party in the case claims to not have been notified of pending legal action, the Affidavit of Service can be presented to prove otherwise.

Even if the process server isn’t able to serve the person, the affidavit can be used to prove due diligence. Using an Affidavit of Due Diligence, the server can show that he or she made a number of attempts and can detail the reasons why service of process was not possible. This Affidavit of Due Diligence shows that you made every effort to notify the other party or parties of pending legal proceedings.

Find a trusted local process server today

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.

How to Hire a Process Server

2011-03-29T14:44:12-06:00

If you would like to hire a process server, you are looking for someone who is reputable, organized and professional. But how can you locate and hire these people? This article will supply a few common suggestions.

1. Locate a competent process server. If you do not have time to personally look through the credentials of the many process servers in your area, consider employing a professional from ServeNow.com, a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. By only accepting knowledgeable servers in our network, ServeNow.com takes away the uncertainty from hiring a server in the U.S. or internationally.

2. Do a comparison of rates, and anticipate paying more for faster service. The cost of having papers served frequently depends on how many attempts it takes and what turn-around-time is anticipated. Same-day or rush services ordinarily cost more. A “routine” service that takes between five and seven days can cost as little as $20 or as much as $100 in some locations. The national average is between $45 and $75. You might want to check with a few different professionals in your area to compare costs before you agree to employ someone. Keep in mind that your final intention is to have your documents effectively served, so the expertise and practical knowledge of the process server is substantially more important than the cost of the service.

3. Look for association memberships. If a server is a member of local and/or national associations, he or she is probably to be up-to-date on ethics and regulations applicable to the profession. It is important to select an expert who is accustomed with the appropriate laws in your state, because someone who violates the law will result in an unacceptable service for you.

4. Learn about the server’s communication methods. Is it critical to you to be able to effortlessly contact the process server for information? Do you wish to know the moment the service is accomplished? Make certain you ask the process serving firm you are considering hiring about how and when they will be in touch with you. One effortless way to work together with servers and obtain electronic updates is to use ServeManager software, which is comparable to online tracking of packages from the major delivery companies.

5. Make it uncomplicated for the process server to serve your papers. Provide the server with as much information as possible so they can find and serve the subject. The more you give the process server to work with, the higher the success rate. Information that you can give to assist the server includes up-to-date residential and/or business addresses, telephone numbers, vehicle descriptions, work hours, physical descriptions and even photos.

How do I find a trusted local process server?

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.

What is a Process Server?

2011-03-25T14:43:01-06:00

The title “process server” is one that those in the legal field know all about, and those outside of the legal business probably have little to no understanding of. There are a lot of misconceptions about what process serving is and what is needed of process servers on a day-to-day basis.

Process servers: a brief history

To begin to describe what a modern-day process server does, let’s first start out with a little history of how and why process servers are needed. First, service of due process is a privilege set forth by the Constitution. This means that all citizens of the United States hold the right to be informed of being summoned, these legal guidelines are specified in the fifth and sixth amendments of the Constitution.

Process servers were intended as a messenger system to notify individuals of their constitutional right to due process of law by “serving” them with a notification that states the legal issue that involves them specifically. Originally, legal papers were typically served to individuals by their local county sheriff. As cities expanded in the United States it turned out to be a challenging endeavor for local sheriffs to disperse court papers while attending to legal situations in their jurisdiction. There was a desire for an individual to deliver these papers legally and in a timely manner; for that reason, process servers were formed.

What does a process server do?

Process servers are needed in an assortment of tasks such as filing court papers, serving legal documents and document retrieval. Their principal job is to deliver or “serve” legal documents to a defendant or person involved in a court case. After serving any legal documents, process servers have to deliver actual evidence that the legal papers were served. The verification that is offered is referred to as an affidavit of service or proof of service, which must be notarized and given to the individual or company who required the papers to be served. Process servers are legally required to serve papers in the correct manner laid out by their state. Process serving laws differ by state, so each individual process server may have a distinctive way of carrying out things.

Why is service of process significant?

Service of process is necessary for many reasons, but the primary reason is to make sure that the due process of law is upheld in United States. An additional reason process servers are an essential part of civil society is to ensure that legal papers are served in a highly effective and appropriate fashion. If papers aren’t served properly, the court is not able to rule on a case relating to an individual if they were not legally made aware of it. If service is determined to be improper, the entire case may be thrown out. This makes it even more essential to be aware of the laws of your state pertaining to the correct way to serve a defendant legally.

Find a trusted local process server today

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server on ServeNow.com, please do a search for a city or zip code above or call (877) 737-8366.

LegalShows.com a New, Better Way to Promote Legal Events

2010-09-14T16:45:02-06:00

Are you looking to increase attendance at your upcoming legal trade show, conference, continuing education course or association meeting? You now have a new promotional tool in LegalShows.com, the first and only comprehensive directory of state, national and worldwide legal events for all fields within the legal community.

LegalShows.com was founded with the goal of helping members of the legal community advance their respective fields by sharing information about career-building events. These legal events inform, educate and provide excellent networking opportunities, which contributes to improved ethics, legislative knowledge and professionalism.

To help legal professionals share and search for events, LegalShows.com offers users the following capabilities:

Add legal events to the calendar for free, allowing people around the world to view the event descriptions you provide.
Search for events by specific category, such as private investigators, arbitrators or process servers.
Suggest new event categories.
Follow LegalShow.com events on Facebook and Twitter.

Promote your legal event today for free

To share your upcoming events or find events geared toward helping you excel in your career, visit www.LegalShows.com.

Are You Being Served?

2009-02-10T14:59:52-07:00

Process servers are the legal system’s postal carriers

A slender woman faced a glowering man who stood at the front of his house, his hostility flaring because of a delivery she was trying to make.

Chris Telega was there to serve legal papers.

First, the man denied he was the person named on the papers, then he demanded Telega show him her identification. When she stepped toward her car to fetch her ID, he shoved her. Telega whipped out a can of pepper spray and pointed it at him.

“Back off!” she barked.

He complied.

A neighbor yelled to the man, calling him by the name on the documents. Telega tossed the papers at his feet and told him he was served.

For process servers, confrontations like this are as inevitable as a Florida thunderstorm.

Process servers are the legal system’s postal carriers. They must fight the elements, find poorly marked addresses and elude aggressive dogs.

But, unlike the mailman, no one is ever happy to see them. They are welcomed as warmly as health inspectors and IRS agents.

They go onto properties of potentially volatile people, sometimes tooling down long driveways at night in remote rural areas that reek of danger.

The private servers – those who don’t work for the Sheriff’s Office – deliver civil papers that require no law enforcement. Those include subpoenas, summons to court, notices for divorce and child custody suits.

It’s the kind of job with long stretches of uneventful routine interspersed with wrathful encounters.

“I’ve had people chase me to the car,” said Kevin Whitton, 45, who works with Telega at his family’s process-serving business. “You never know what’s going to happen when that door opens.”

BUT SOMEBODY’S GOT TO DO IT

The Ormond Beach office where Whitton and Telega, 56, begin their day is quiet, and the company’s name, Executive Southern Professional Services, gives no real hint of what they do.

Executive Southern is one of a handful of private processing-serving agencies in the area.

The pay is modest by any scale – $8 to $12 per legal document, Telega said. “Florida is very low,” she said. “We are one of the lowest ones, as far as what we make on our papers.”

One of the biggest hassles is going back to the same address again and again to deliver the same set of papers if someone is not home or, worse, is ducking service, she said. If the address if valid, the servers are paid the same, whether they make one trip or 20.

And John Wayne tactics are out.

Servers should never climb over a closed gate in a driveway, nor should they argue with recipients, said Al Metcalf, 60, who also works at Executive Southern. They are allowed to defend themselves, however. Assaulting a process server is a felony, and people will rarely go that far, although some will browbeat the messenger, he said.

One woman, after being served, ran out to his car screaming and kept trying to stuff the papers under his windshield wiper, Whitton said. Finally, he threw the papers in front of her and drove off. She chased the car to the street, shrieking at him.

Unlike on some TV shows, a person identified as the recipient doesn’t need to sign for papers or even touch them for the service to be good, Telega said.

COMPETITION FOR SHERIFFS

Some sheriffs can also be unfriendly toward private couriers, viewing them as unnecessary competition.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is one example. Forty-nine employees staff the sheriff’s civil section, serving 89,000 writs last year, said Gary Davidson, a sheriff’s spokesman.

“In the vast majority of cases, the Sheriff’s Office is in the position to do the best job,” Davidson said.

The Sheriff’s Office also charges less than businesses, Davidson said. And he argued that it’s better to have deputies deliver all civil papers, so they can learn to track the people who might need to be dealt with more seriously later. Some private servers will bend the rules—for instance, dropping papers on a porch when no one is home, Davidson said. But he added: “That’s not to imply that the majority of private process servers don’t follow the law.”

Telega said the Sheriff’s Office has always been hostile to competition. Private couriers, she argued, have distinct advantages.

Unlike uniformed deputies, they have the element of surprise, she said. And for something like a subpoena, there’s no reason to have deputies drawing neighbors’ attention to the person.

“It’s a more discreet way to do it,” she said.

Flagler County Sheriff Don Fleming said he is glad to have businesses take some of the load off his two-person civil section.

“Our county is growing so rapidly, it’s hard to keep up,” Fleming said.

Mitch Gordon, a Daytona Beach attorney, said he prefers to have the sheriff serve legal papers, but finds that businesses can respond quicker to rush orders.

“If time is tight . . . sometimes it’s more expedient to use a private process server,” Gordon said.

ANGER OFTEN AWAITS

Metcalf, who has delivered papers for three years, recalled that one of his scariest moments was at a weather-beaten house near railroad tracks in Bunnell.

A man took the papers, scowled, and punched the wall beside the door. Then he ripped up the papers.

“I thought he was going to get violent with me,” Metcalf said.

Servers say certain areas are especially bad—Ridgewood and Mason avenues in Daytona Beach, Daytona North in west Flagler, and Deltona.

Whitton and Telega agreed that Deltona has the most dangerous edge.

“I just don’t want to be there at night,” Telega said.

Not all deliveries are tense. Serving at offices is much easier because, unlike homes, someone is usually there to take the papers, and confrontations are far less frequent.

Still, tiffs do happen. Metcalf recently dropped off a request for an employee’s records at an upscale DeBary country club. To his surprise, a supervisor followed him to the car and started yelling at him.

“It comes when you least expect it,” Metcalf said.

By Scott Wyland of the Daytona Beach News-Journal

Find a trusted local process server today

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.

Benefits of Hiring Local Process Servers

2009-02-10T14:59:52-07:00

When looking for process servers for out-of-town cases, hire locally

If your law firm or collection company is like most, you undoubtedly have cases that are not in your immediate area. When you need to have these people found or served with legal documents who do you turn to? Many law firms use their “local guy” or a nationwide company. This may be the easiest route, but is that really the best choice for you or your client?

Below are just a few reasons why using local process servers is your best option.

1. Lower Costs
When you hire a nationwide process server or your “local guy” to have court documents served out of town, they will generally forward these papers to a business within their network. In cases such as this, the company you hire will tack on a margin for managing the serve. This fee can range from $50 to $200 or more for a routine service. This gets much more expensive when multiple attempts, rush service and mileage comes in to play.

By hiring local, you can save your firm and your clients hundreds of dollars on routine service of process.

2. Faster Service
With local process servers, your papers don’t need to be sent to a main office or corporate headquarters then forwarded off to someone else. The quicker you can get the papers in the process servers hands, the quicker the papers will go out for service. This means that your affidavit of service will also take the most direct path back to you after the papers are served.

3. Better Communication
As mentioned earlier, when you hire a nationwide provider or “the local guy” your case is referred out to someone else. You do not have immediate access to these individuals which can be an issue if you need to react to time sensitive information. Breaking down the communication chain and working directly with the company handling your case will result in more timely and accurate information.

4. More Control
With better communication comes more control over your serves. However, using local process servers may mean having to work with more vendors. At ServeNow.com we are making that process more efficient with a secure online application called ServeManager. ServeManager allows you to see the status of all your serves in one place. Visit ServeManager.com to learn more.

Find a trusted local process server today
ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.

ServeNow.com Process Server Directory Launches

2009-02-10T14:59:52-07:00

ServeNow.com makes locating Process Servers and Legal Support Services fast and easy

LOS ANGELES, CA November 17, 2004—ServeNow.com, an online resource dedicated solely to the process serving industry, today announced the official launch of their web site: http://www.serve-now.com. ServeNow.com helps legal professionals and those in need of legal support services find a process server anywhere in the United States or worldwide.

Process serving is a vital part of civil procedure for court cases and legal proceedings. Process servers assure that parties to a case are served in accordance with the law (also referred to as rules of civil procedure). If service upon an individual is not performed properly it can hinder or lead to the dismissal of a case. Therefore it is important to find an experienced process server who knows the local and state laws.

“Navigating the web for a reliable process server can be difficult, time consuming and frustrating. ServeNow.com makes finding reliable legal support services quick and painless,” said Adam Camras of ServeNow.com. “If our users can’t find someone within our directory, we will locate someone for them at no cost. We are their one-stop shop.”

ServeNow.com has been online just a few months, but is already the most visited and fastest growing Internet property dedicated solely to the process serving industry. Satisfied users are returning again and again to take advantage of ServeNow.com’s offerings. Created to fill a void in the market for a pure process serving portal, ServeNow.com offers a wealth of industry tools, news and information, while providing process servers with an unparalleled channel to advertise process serving services.

The process servers listed on ServeNow.com are highly skilled and experienced legal services providers that offer much more than service of process. Many firms also provide skip tracing (locating an individual), private investigation services, court filing, public records research, asset searches, surveillance, and a number of other legal services.

To browse the ServeNow.com Process Server Directory or to learn about the process serving industry please visit http://www.serve-now.com.

Contact:
Adam Camras
www.ServeNow.com
(877) SERVE-NOW or (877) 737-8366.

Need a Process Server?

2009-02-10T14:59:52-07:00

Need a Process Server? Don’t Cut Corners and Hire Locally

What you don’t know about process serving can get you in trouble or get your case thrown out of court. Newspapers across Ohio had some pretty unusual headlines at the end of June, thanks to the dramatic arrest of the president of the Medina County Bar Association. The crime? The attorney was arrested for trespassing on someone’s property – while he was trying to serve some court documents. Witnesses claimed that the attorney, who was serving papers related to a case he was working on, did not knock and instead walked into a woman’s garage then handed her a subpoena. According to local laws, this would constitute trespassing. The situation has now become even more complicated for the Medina County attorney – his client is facing problems with the case and now he has to fight his own legal battles before being able to help his client with their case.

Had the lawyer in this instance hired a professional Process Server who understood the rules of civil procedure, this may not have happened. For many legal teams, it is the ultimate nightmare: improperly served court papers result in legal action or legal problems that jeopardize a case. In some cases, incorrectly served court papers can get a case thrown out of court, leading to endless hassle for both a lawyer and their clients.

Serving court papers requires a thorough knowledge of the law and investigative techniques, according to experts. With more people willing to sue, more people living in gated communities, and vague trespassing laws, many process servers have their work cut out for them. In fact, some experts think that the number of process service cases that require skip tracing and other investigative work is growing.

The best way to get court papers legally delivered is to hire a process server who is in the same locality as the person being served. Local process servers can offer the following benefits:

1) Local Knowledge. A local server may know areas where people may congregate and may be aware of how to approach a property in order to serve court documents. This facet alone can be invaluable when it is time to serve someone with papers they may not want.

2) Knowledge of Laws. Even very small infractions in law can spell disaster for a court case. A local process serving professional may know trespassing laws and other local laws that can help ensure that your court documents are delivered legally. Seasoned process servers in Florida for instance will know that papers cannot be served on Sundays. In Michigan you are not allowed to serve a person on an election day.

3) Utilizing their Local Network. Local servers may know others – including other investigators and law enforcement officials – who can help if someone proves elusive or unwilling to accept papers.

4) Knowledge of the Area. If you hire a server from another area, they may need time to get familiar with an area before trying to serve documents. This can result in delays and additional expenses – two things you can avoid by hiring a local professional.

5) More Cost Effective. Local process servers can get your papers served for low fees – fees that may increase fivefold or more if you hire national server companies or servers that must drive long distances. Typically nationwide companies or your regular process server will charge you $150 – $200 when you have a serve that is outside of your local area. They have a network of servers to whom they refer business. By going directly to a local company, you can save $100 or more.

Quite often, process servers are willing to drive significant distances – 50 miles or more – to get papers served. It is likely you will be charged a flat rate plus mileage. This gets much more expensive when multiple attempts and rush services come in to play.

6) More Efficient Communication. Local servers cut down the length of the communication chain. By hiring someone local, you reduce the time it takes to get information regarding the status of the serve, which means greater efficiency and less hassle for you.

Find a trusted local process server today

ServeNow.com is a trusted network of local, pre-screened process servers. To find a professional process server, please visit ServeNow.com or call (877) 737-8366.