On average, there are over 40 million lawsuits filed in the United States every year. When legal action is taken against an individual, they will be served with various documents. When law firms need to find someone and deliver these documents, they generally hire a process server.
It is the job of a process server to track down an individual and provide them with a notice of legal action and other relevant documentation. Many legal professionals that are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of process serving have a variety of misconceptions.
Below are some of the most common myths and misconceptions about process servers and the truth behind them.
Process Servers Have To Hand Legal Documents Directly To The Person Being Served
One of the main misconceptions most people have about process servers is that they have to go to extraordinary links to put the documents they have in the hands of the person being served. In the movies, process servers use catchphrases like “you’ve been served.” In reality, process servers can put the documents in question nearby if the person being served refuses to take them.
In situations like this, the process server will describe the general nature of the legal documents before leaving. In most cases, legal documents are considered served when the process server explains their purpose to the intended recipient. As long as the process server leaves the documents in a visible and accessible place, they can leave knowing their job has been done properly.
All Process Servers Wear Disguises
Many movies have pushed the narrative that process servers have to be masters of disguise to trick people into accepting the legal documents in their possession. You need to realize that a process server is performing an extremely important legal function. This means they have the power of the law on their side when attempting to serve legal documents.
It is very unusual for a process server to actually dress up as someone else in an attempt to complete their job. Most people have prior knowledge that legal documents are headed their way. This means they are usually compliant and courteous. After all, it is not the process server taking legal action against the person in question. The average person realizes the process server is just performing their job.
This is a Dangerous Job
Another misconception people have about process servers is that they perform an extremely dangerous job. Process serving is not an inherently dangerous job by nature. However, some process servers are put into volatile and emotionally charged situations on occasion. When these volatile situations arise, a well-trained process server will behave in a professional manner.
In movies and television shows, process servers are depicted as being overly defensive. In reality, process servers are usually compassionate people that have been hired to do a job.
If you own a legal practice and need process serving help, then you should check out the services offered by Preferred Process Servers Inc.