Policies and Procedures
Proof Timeliness
Timelines for service of process are short in Illinois, so it is important that proofs be returned as quickly as possible. E-sign proofs should be signed within 24 hours. If they need to be mailed, or scanned and sent to Docattach@abclegal.com, this should happen within 48 hours.
Please contact ABC Legal if you are ever struggling to make these timelines.
Substitute service
When you perform Substitute Service, it is necessary that you mail a copy of just the summons to the defendant to ensure proper service. This can be obtained from the "packing list" section of your web portal on abclegal.com, or you can print a second copy of the summons when you print the documents.
When performing Substitute Service, the co-resident must be at least 13 years of age or older. Do not perform substitute service until you have verbal confirmation of all of the above criteria. If the co-resident who accepted the documents is 13 or 14 years of age please do not use the selection "14 and under". List their exact age and how it was confirmed in your service notes.
Private Detective Registration
In order to serve legal process in Illinois, a server needs to be over 21 and either a Licensed Private Detective or employed by a Licensed Detective Agency. Service of legal process in Cook County must be done by appointment from the Court.