Should You Hire A Process Server?

If you have found yourself in the position of having to file a lawsuit against a business for malpractice,  or perhaps, serving your spouse with divorce papers, then you are aware that you must adhered to due process. In this case, papers should be served to the relevant parties informing them of the legal action you have taken against them. In such a situation, you are likely wondering whether you should hire a process server and if that is a worthwhile investment. This is understandable as the costs associated with legal proceedings can be steep without the added expense of a process server. It is first important to understand the role of a process server.

What does a Process Server do?

The role of a process server is rather simple: they serve legal documents to individuals, or business entities, against whom legal action has been taken or who are scheduled for court proceedings. Typically, process servers are hired by law firms, collection agencies, and individuals just to name a few. While it might seem straightforward, certified or licensed process servers are equipped with certain skills and have many resources at their disposal which make them ideal for the job.

Qualities of a Process Server

Indeed, the ideal qualities of a process server are patience, persistence, creativity, and common sense. They are independent, neutral parties in a legal action which would ensure that there is no bias or possible collusion. In many cases, when friends or family serve papers, courts might consider this unfavorably which would have legal ramifications.

Process servers also have expertise in state and federal law requirements. This is important because the rules for serving papers vastly differ across states. Process Servers have specialised resources, such as skip tracing and access to records which are not available to the public. This is especially useful when the subjects are evasive or difficult to locate. Finally, they provide other services such as retrieving legal documents, researching courthouse records, and filing documents with the court, among other duties.

What to ask before hiring a Process Server?

Now that you know the benefits of hiring a process server, it is important to hire a professional who you can trust. While it is tempting to go for the cheapest option, sometimes it may not be the best situation. As such, you should ask your prospective process server the following before hiring their services:

• Cost: How much will they charge you? This can vary depending on how fast you want your papers to be served. There are expedited same-day delivery services which will be costlier than your standard 5 to 7 days.
• Time: How long they expect to take in serving the papers to the individuals?
• Number of attempts: It is common for a process server to quote a rate based on a limited number of attempts. This is counter-productive for the client who hires a process server. Use a process server who quotes a rate based on unlimited attempts at one address (processnet1.com).
• Locator Methods: How will they locate the individuals to whom they are serving papers? Basic Google searches certainly won’t cut it for evasive subjects and advanced methods may need to be employed.

If you would like more information about our services or to engage a process server, please do not hesitate to contact us today.