As a small business owner, one understands the importance of maintaining a positive cash flow and collecting on unpaid debts. Unfortunately, there may come a time when legal action must be taken against a debtor to recover what is owed. In these situations, the services of a professional process server are crucial to ensuring the proper delivery of legal documents and preserving your right to due process. If you're new to the world of process serving and legal proceedings, don't worry – we are here to help you navigate the process and make your first call to a process server with confidence.
Before making your first call to a process server, there are some things you'll need to:
- Research and understand the service of process rules in your state
- Find a reputable, experienced process server in your area
- Prepare the necessary legal documents and information for the process server
- Familiarize yourself with any local county requirements or variations in the rules
Researching and understanding the service of process rules in your state is a crucial step for any small business owner who finds themselves in need of legal action to collect unpaid debts. This knowledge will make it easier to find a reputable and experienced process server in your area who understands the intricacies of your state's rules. Not sure where to start to learn more about your state's rules and regulations? Check out our state page to begin your research and delve into our offerings in all 50 states.
Find a reputable, experienced process server in your areaThe right process server can make your case go off without any hiccups. Trust a process server that is reliable, time-efficient, and cost-effective. One route is your local sheriff - this guarantees that your process server knows the local and state rules for service. However, it does not guarantee priority. The local sheriff has enough on their plate without having to worry about performing service of process. Another route is a local process server in your county. This can take a lot of time researching how reputable they are though. A third option is a vetted process server network - one with national coverage will guarantee compliance for any state you may need service in.
Prepare the necessary legal documents and information for the process serverIn order to complete service of process, you will need the legal documents that you are wanting served to another individual as well as that individual(s) name and address. This information will be required for your process server to complete successful service. Sometimes the last known address is not the correct address. If that is the case, you could benefit from using a locate service such as Skip Tracing.
Familiarize yourself with any local county requirements or variations in the rulesKnowing your local county's requirements lets you have confidence in picking the right process server. If you know that a certain rule is in place for your state but your county has a slight variation to how service of process must be conducted, then you will know if the process server you selected is working within your county's compliance guidelines as service is occurring. At ABC Legal, we are consistently updating our network of over 2,500+ process servers with the most up-to-date information to stay in compliance in every state.
By taking these steps and arming yourself with knowledge, you'll be well-equipped to take the right steps in serving legal documents and getting the ball rolling on your case. Connect with us to dive into the specifics of service of process in different states, ensuring your small business is always one step ahead.
Written by
Olivia UtleyService made simple—down the road and across the country. Join the 50,000+ professionals who trust ABC Legal for service of process.