The Responsibilities of the Process Server

The process server has a number of responsibilities that can make the difference in the outcome of a court case. Basically, their job is to serve legal notices on defendants and other people who are involved in court cases, they are also responsible for retrieving some types of documents, filing court papers, and bringing forth evidence that legal papers have been delivered. They do this through a notarized document called an Affidavit of Service.

What it Means to be “Served”

The United State Constitution provides every individual with the right to receive proper notice if he or she has been summoned for a court appearance. Process serving must be in accordance with the law and completed in a prompt manner. If the process server fails to deliver the documents quickly, it could result in the delaying or dismissal of the court case.

Complications in Process Serving

Service of Process requires expertise and dedication to take the necessary steps to deliver the summons or other legal documents to the individual for which they are intended. Often, this requires more than going to the address they have been given and giving them to the individual. In many instances, the process server will need to find the person at a new address that could be anywhere. The process server may have to trace the individual before they can give them the summons.

It is common for some individuals to avoid receiving their summons to court. If they have been named in a lawsuit and wish to avoid the court case altogether, they may move to another part of the country or even to another country altogether. Hiring a private process server with the associations in other states or countries to find individuals who no longer reside in your area can help you to meet important deadlines.