Service of process has come a long way from the early days of field sheets and phone calls. As legal tech continues to advance, it’s changing the game in how service of process is conducted, monitored, and enforced. We're exploring the ways technology is driving these changes and how compliance is maintained in the field today.
The Evolution of Technology in Service of Process
Back in 2006, service of process was a manual process from start to finish.Process servers would fill out field sheets and then return to the office each night so someone could type them up for the clients.
For rush orders, the process server would call in their updates to the office so someone could contact the customer and let them know the serve had been successfully completed. The process was labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Fast-forward to today and mobile appshave revolutionized the workflow for process servers. One of ABC Legal's team members may well have designed and deployed the first version of a mobile app. It was built for iPads with cell SIM cards back when flip phones were still the norm.
Acquiring these devices was no easy task, with early versions being sourced through eBay and Craigslist to meet demand. We also faced the hurdle of convincing process servers to adopt this technology. Many servers resisted, believing it would slow them down in the field, and others still didn't have a device that could support the app.
ABC Legal tested rugged laptops, phone texting, and various other options before landing on the mobile devices we use today. Now, they provide GPS tracking, real-time updates, and more efficient workflows for everyone involved.
The Impact of Ring Cameras and Handheld Technology
In some areas, up to 50% of ABC Legal's serves are being recorded—not by process servers, but by doorbell cameras. This shift has significantly impacted how companies like ABC Legal respond to claims.
In the past, a process server’s word was often ironclad in court. The assumption was that a process server had no reason to jeopardize his or her career under penalty of perjury. With video footage now frequently available, more claims are being challenged.
That’s where handheld technology and compliance tools come into play. Companies like ABC Legal believe GPS data and photos of service attempts are now a minimum requirement for service of process.
In some jurisdictions, like New York, GPS and photo evidence are legally mandated.Without a mobile app, no one serves legal documents in the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection's (DCWP) jurisdiction. These technological advancements not only support the process server but also provide clients with additional peace of mind.
The Role of Compliance in Technology
Compliance has become more complex with the rise of consumer-level devices and advanced tech. While GPS and photo collection are standard, there’s always the potential for misuse.
ABC Legal-empowered process servers knock on more than 12 million doors a year. To put that in perspective, in the time it takes to read this sentence, roughly six doors are knocked on. These servers encounter everything under the sun when they're in the field. When something goes wrong on a job in our system, ABC Legal's complianceteam addresses the issue.
With 15 dedicated auditors, ABC Legal drills into data and statistics to discern what lies beneath the surface. The value of this review, much like the rise of machine learning and AI, comes from how the company utilizes this data.
By visiting the same locations repeatedly, ABC Legal can learn from previous attempts at that address—whether a certain time of day works better for service, if an address is accurate, or if there’s a better alternative.
ABC Legal runs a skip trace in advance. The resulting data is relayed to process servers using the app as applicable. If they see a car at the address, they no longer need to call for plate checks; the list of vehicle details associated with the service recipient is already available on their cover sheet. ABC Legal has also explored new technology, like body cameras, to further support compliance and transparency in the field.
Enhancing Compliance Through Reporting and Oversight
At ABC Legal, compliance isn’t just monitored after the fact—it’s programmed into our system. Our algorithm rewards servers who consistently meet or exceed compliance standards with more work. Those who fail to meet expectations see their workload decrease until their performance improves. This automatic system ensures that compliance remains a top priority and encourages process servers to maintain high standards.
For instance, if a process server's registration is expired or a service attempt occurs more than 1,000 feet from the service location, the system automatically flags the issue for review by our team of auditors. Safety concerns, such as the need for a server to quickly leave a location before recording information in the app, are also accounted for, with human oversight ensuring that compliance rules are flexible when necessary.
The programmatic nature of the system quickly identifies fraudulent actions that we need to address—like someone attempting to submit service while sitting on the couch at home—while servers who meet compliance standards remain engaged with a steady stream of work.
This approach allows ABC Legal to maintain a large network of process serverswhile ensuring that compliance and quality are upheld. Every step of the process is monitored, ensuring reliable, efficient, and compliant service of process.
Trends Shaping Service of Process
Several trends are shaping service of process: Fewer doors are being opened, more cameras, and there's a growing expectation for self-help offerings and an online presence.
ABC Legal implemented an avoider protection system,sending a second process server at our expense to confront individuals who attempt to evade service. In many cases, simply having a different person at the door results in successful service.
What Every Process Server Should Offer
When it comes to GPS tracking, photo documentation,feasibility checks, and travel time, those are now the basics—any process server should be able to offer that. What sets ABC Legal apart is the programmatic enforcement of special handling requirements and diligence.
Manual oversight is possible, and it worked for decades. But once your operations reach a level where documents are produced and decisions are made programmatically through case management systems, you need your rules enforced programmatically, too.
For example, attempts at midnight or serves on Sundays in jurisdictions that don’t allow it are flagged immediately by our system. Real-time checks ensure our servers in the field stay compliant with local regulations, no matter where they are.
Beyond compliance, ABC Legal is embracing machine learning to inform decision-making in the field. While not the large-scale AI systems often discussed, we’ve built specialized algorithms to help us predict whether a person resides at a specific address based on aggregated data like credit headers. This predictive model allows us to provide clients with accurate, data-driven insights.
Finally, the future of service is eDelivery™.This is a win-win for clients, recipients, and process servers alike because it's efficient, secure, and designed to handle the demands of modern legal processes.
Start your next serve today to experience ABC Legal's unparalleled communication. Not ready for service of process just yet? No problem. We're here when you need us. Sign up for a free account todayand have America's most trusted process server ready when you need optimized service of process.
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Written by
Amy Brodsky
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