How to Choose the Best Process Server for Your Legal Documents
In today’s world, the internet has become the place for many potential customers to find and select a business to patronize. But in an age where information is more plentiful than ever, how does a person know they are making the right choices? And to make matters even more complicated, if someone has legal documents to be served on an individual, choosing a civil process server to serve those documents can be a daunting task, especially for those unfamiliar with the work.
From large name companies to independent process servers and small businesses, how do you know which process server to choose? While we are not here to tell you exactly who is the right choice for your job, we do have some qualities that you can look for to ensure that you are making the best choice when it comes to finding the best process server for your legal documents. Keep reading to learn more!
Knowledge
Civil process service entails far more than dropping papers and yelling “You’ve been served!” as some movies may have the general public believe. It is important that process servers obtain the proper licensure/regulatory requirements in their state (where applicable). Additionally, laws and regulations surrounding proper service that will hold up in court are constantly changing. The best process servers will be up to speed with current laws and they will proactively seek professional development, which can be obtained through reputable process server associations like NAPPS and their state associations.
Service
When selecting a server, you want to ensure that he or she will be making the proper number of attempts and serving the individual appropriately. There are many nuances to service of process — how easily can the individual be served and are there any issues that may affect how the process server handles the service (e.g. not in a gated community or serving someone in the military or hospital setting), can the person be sub-served, etc. You need to know exactly what type of service you will be getting and the process server should be able to assist you with that.
Communication
After you have selected a process server, will you be able to check in on the status of your server? Communication is important, especially if you have a person who is evading service or who requires multiple attempts. You should be able to find out the status of your service in some way, whether that is logging online to check the status electronically or by making a phone call to get an update.
Pricing
As with any service, pricing is an important factor to consider. Process servers who charge below the standard value may not be offering the best service — it is important to ask why they would be offering rates so low. However, with that said, you want to be in a position where you can afford to pay your bill. Carefully consider price and all the factors attached to it.
Reliability & Trust
Reliability and trust are perhaps two of the most important qualities when searching for the best process server to serve your legal documents. A process server could have the best prices and be up to speed with current laws and regulations, but if they aren’t reliable and you can’t trust that they can get the job done, the other qualities do not matter. There are a couple ways that you can tell if a process server is reliable and trustworthy. First, check out any available reviews or references to learn how others have experienced their service. The second way to discern whether a process server is worthy of your trust and whether they are reliable is to find out if they have obtained the proper licensing and insurance requirements, and see if they are a member of a civil process server organization with bylaws and a code of ethics, like NAPPS.
Ready to find the process server for you? Check out our searchable directory of process servers to find your best match.