How Does a Process Server Spend a Workday

What does a Process Server do?

A process server may be hired to work for an attorney's office, legal services company, a process server company, a private investigator's firm, or even perform freelance work. The process server's job is to locate and deliver documents to people who are having legal action taken against them. This includes subpoenas, summonses, notices to witnesses, and more. Because it is mandatory for people who are required to appear in court to first be served with legal documents, a process server's duties are crucial to the legal process. Failure to properly serve individuals with legal documents can result in court delays, excessive attorney fees, or the case may be thrown out all together. 

In order to serve the individuals with the documents, a process server must first locate them.  This can be difficult at times, and may require some research and sleuth skills to determine the location of a particular individual, as some individuals do not want to be found.

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After the process server has located the individual, he or she must follow specific steps in order to serve the legal papers in accordance to the law. They need access the individual in a public place, and the individual must acknowledge that they are the person whose name appears on the documents. Once the individual has acknowledged who they are, the process server can serve the individual with the papers, who must in turn sign for them.

A Process Server's Work Day

Because of the nature of the job, a day in the life of a process server can be unusual and vary from day to day.

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The process server has a list of people who he or she will need to locate for the day. Depending on how they conduct business, it may be up to the process server to determine how he or she will locate the people. Their employer may also have a set way of finding and serving the people on the list.

There are many things to know about a career as a process server. First of all, they are susceptible to excessive traveling and varying work hours. Also, it is very likely that as they serve individuals with the papers, the individuals may become disgruntled or very unpleasant to be around.  In fact, there have been cases where the individuals being served have been verbally, as well as physically, aggressive and violent towards the process servers. This job is not for individuals who are especially sensitive, and can not brush off remarks from such people.

Requirements

In order to become a process server, most employers require that the applicant have at least an education level of a high school diploma or have passed the General Education Development Test (GED).  Also, he or she must be at least 18 years old, a citizen of the United States, and some may require a specific class of driver's license. Additionally, some states require certification pertaining to that specific state, and a background in law enforcement.

Serving Others

While a career as a process server may not always be a pleasant one, it can be exciting, and rewarding, as this job is essential to the legal process in our country today.