Which Is Better: Sheriff or Process Server?

When it comes to serving legal papers in your case, you need to make sure that it is done right the first time. The best way to do that is to make sure that you are hiring an experienced and capable process server. In addition to hiring a private process server, you also have the option of using the sheriff’s department to get your papers served. Here are the pros and cons of each and what you should do for your situation.

Facts About Resources and Timeliness

You might think that the sheriff’s department, as a law enforcement agency, would have more resources for serving papers, but the truth of the matter is that all of those resources, including the time of the deputies, cost taxpayers money. As such, the department doesn’t spend a lot of time on these tasks.

A sheriff’s department is not going to go out of their way to find the person who needs to be served. They are also not going to make serving your papers a priority because they have much more important things to do, like keeping the community safe. 

Because it is all we do, a process server has all the time in the world for serving your papers. Need someone found so they can be served? We have the means and time to trace them down. Need papers served somewhere other than their home or office? Process servers are willing to go that extra mile.

Facts About Cost Vs. Value

When you ask the court clerk for possible service of process providers, they will give you information for the sheriff’s department as well as a listing of certified process servers. The price between these two options is fairly similar. But what about value? You’re going to get a much more personalized and effective service from a private process server, making their service more valuable even if it costs slightly more.

If you need papers served in your legal case in Florida, contact us today.