Hiring a process server can seem like an annoyance, but it’s mandatory if you want to succeed in your legal case. In many situations, a defendant has an active interest in evading being served. This can severely strain your efforts and make you unable to proceed. Sometimes, you risk missing out on important court deadlines, which can compromise your entire case. A good process server is the first step towards a successful lawsuit. If you’ve never hired one before, here are some of the most important things you should consider.
Cost Of Hiring A Process Server
Cost will likely be the first thing that comes to your mind when you’re looking to hire a process server. Some people try to avoid this part of the process because they don’t think any kind of expense is worth it. But the truth is that process servers – even the best ones – don’t cost much money at all. You’re likely already spending significantly more on the lawsuit itself. At this point, it doesn’t make sense to avoid the expense of a process server. Especially considering how much you’re risking by not hiring one. It’s a small price to pay for your peace of mind. And in a situation that’s already pretty stressful, like a lawsuit, this can mean a lot.
Turnaround Time
One of the most important aspects of a good process server for hire is how fast they work. The best process serving companies on the market waste no time in getting started. Some companies will even commence straight away. Rush orders are quite common in this line of work, and experienced professionals should have no issue with them. Most process serving companies operate 24/7, allowing you to contact them on an urgent basis. Make sure to always ask about the anticipated turnaround time. If you get a response that’s anything over a couple of days, you should be looking elsewhere.
Of course, this can vary depending on the complexity of your case. When you are facing a more difficult serving, it’s reasonable to give the company more time. This is especially true with defenders actively trying to hide from getting served. But for a regular job, where you already know where the person can be found, you would be right to expect a the service of your documents to happen right away. Discuss this in detail before hiring anyone.
What Tools and Connections Can the Process Server Leverage?
A good process servers has lots of resources at their disposal to do their job right. This truly shines when you’re dealing with an evasive defender. Sometimes, a simple internet search may be enough to produce a good lead. But in other cases, the server will have to go through a lot of effort to locate the person you’re looking for. If you’re expecting anything of that sort, this makes it even more important to hire the right server.
The best companies on the market can leverage resources and connections not available to most people. The best process serving companies should also be well-versed in legal searches. Something like tracing a registered address through a person’s phone number or SSN shouldn’t be new to them. Sometimes, your process server might ask you for additional details on the person you’re trying to serve. You should do your best to have as much information prepared as possible. Names of relatives and close acquaintances can be quite helpful here. If you also know of any locations frequented by the person, this could make the process easier as well. In any case, before hiring a process server, ask how they’re going to approach your case.
Dealing with Difficult Defendants
In some cases, a defendant might put in extra effort to stay concealed. It’s a good idea to hire a process server who understands what the law allows them to do in those cases. A server can sometimes literally just drop the documents on the ground next to the person. As long as certain conditions are met (usually the documents must not be in an envelope), this can be completely legal. Sometimes the server can also deliver the documents to another person who’s known to have a relationship with the defendant. There are many such provisions in the law, which the average person is usually unaware of. This can make it even more worthwhile to make the right decision when hiring a process server. You typically only get one shot at this, so you’ll want to make sure that the job is done right.
We Can Help You Hire A Process Server
We are prepared to do everything within our power to serve the person you’re suing. This also includes difficult cases involving evasive defendants. Make sure that you’re covering all your bases properly. Get in touch with us and we’ll guide you through the process. We will also keep you up to date on any new developments along the way.
