A process server is someone (from the sheriff’s office or a legally mandated person) who ensures documents linked to a specific lawsuit are handed to the right person, as described in the video. The phrase “you have been served” is often uttered to confirm that the person has received the notice to appear in court, respond to the lawsuit, or is aware of a pending legal action.
Process servers are critical because the action they take (serving documents) is part of the legal process that cannot be overlooked. One of the roles that a leading process server plays is to successfully locate the person they seek. Unfortunately, this is not always easy, because even if they find the person, getting them to receive the papers is difficult.
Some process servers have to make multiple trips to the same residence hoping the person will finally open the door and receive the papers. When the person is evasive, a leading process server may turn to the person’s family for help. Sometimes a family member may be served on the target’s behalf, but this is just a formality.
Nothing can be done until the right person receives the documents. Some civil lawsuits fail to move forward because the other party is either unavailable or hiding, and the leading process server has failed to deliver the documents. And that has to be sorted out soon.
One would think taking legal action against people who refuse to be served would help. However, it is impossible to prove that the person was aware the process server was seeking them, or that they were evading the process server.
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