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Civil Process Servers: Does Your Server Make the Grade?

Updated on

  • November 11, 2024

Reading Time: 4 minutes.

Civil process service, to some, is a relatively simple procedure. A third party individual serves court documents (effectuating civil process service) unto an individual to notify them of legal proceedings, allowing them to respond. This carries out due process. Paperwork is filed, and it’s done.

But is it really that simple?

Consider the increased scrutiny and regulation changes that have recently been implemented in the industries in which civil process servers operate. The pressure to meet deadlines, the needed ability for process servers to work with a firm’s technology, and the absolutely imperative need for good service has certainly changed the game for the average process server.

Civil process service is not as simple as just delivering papers; there’s a whole lot more at stake. With that in mind, there are a few things to watch out for- and to make sure that your civil process servers make the grade.

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Licensed & Informed

Though not all states require civil process servers to be licensed, there are many that do. If you need service in a state that requires process servers to be licensed, make sure that they have taken the steps to obtain the required licenses for civil process servers. All Firefly Legal process servers are licensed where required.

Beyond licensure, check to see if your process server is involved in civil process service associations. By staying involved in these organizations, such as NAPPS and ILAPPS, to name a couple, servers are more easily kept up-to-date with the changing industry.

Reputation & References

A longstanding, established positive reputation is important. Does the company you’re considering working with have a reputation for excellence? Is there a record of the company having ever engaged in sewer service? Can you find quality references who would make a recommendation on behalf of that company or server? These things matter. Think about the qualities that are important when looking for an internal candidate and apply those to who you would choose for a process server.

There are far too many civil process servers out there who serve with integrity, honesty, and within the provisions of the law, to choose a server who decides to take the easy way out. Don’t risk your reputation with someone who isn’t worthy of your trust- put it with a company that stands behind their work and will help you

Evaluations vs. Incentives

While a review process is a great thing, requiring or providing incentives for servers to meet a specific quota for serves may encourage dishonest behavior. If a server has to serve a set amount of papers in a given time frame, they may feel rushed and not take the time to carry out the job as it should be done.

These are just a few red flags to watch out for- can you think of any others? Let us know. Connect with us on X, Linked In, or Facebook.

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Keith J. McMaster

Keith is the CEO and co-founder of Firefly Legal. He has grown Firefly from a startup to a major national player in the civil process service industry. With over three decades of experience, he has developed a deep understanding of the legal support services landscape and leveraged his expertise to become a trusted partner to clients across the country.

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Client Testimonials

“Collaborating with Firefly has been a tremendous asset. They go beyond the scope of the job by acting as consultants to my firm and advising us on how we can work together to improve our processes and business.”
Mike Arnovitz, Reimer, Arnovitz, Chernek & Jeffrey Co L.P.A.
“Thank you for working so hard for/and with us to ensure the filings are getting done timely. I know it can get a little crazy sometimes with these FHA deadlines and we appreciate you always working with us to ensure the deadlines are getting met.”
Anselmo Lindberg & Associates LLC
I wanted to thank you for the expeditious manner in which you handled obtaining the court date and filing the documents at the Bridgeview courthouse. You saved us a lot of aggravation and our client a lot of money. We will definitely be using Firefly Legal in the future. Thanks again.
Julie McCormackDAVIS|FRIEDMAN

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