Service of process is an essential part of any lawsuit. It can be done in various ways and places, but it always needs to be conducted with care and due diligence.
One of the most common questions people have is whether legal papers can be served at their workplace. The short answer is yes. Read on to learn the reason this is allowed, how the process server performs this task, and what the alternatives are.
Why Do Process Servers Deliver Legal Papers to Workplaces?
Ensuring that the right recipient receives their summons, complaint, or notice of legal action on time is critical. If the recipient does not get the papers, it could lead to a delay in court proceedings.
Typically, a professional process server first tries to hand-deliver the papers to the recipient at their home. Sometimes, however, this isn’t possible. Some common reasons are:
- The party being served is not home
- The party being served has moved out and did not leave a forwarding address
- The party being served is deliberately avoiding being served
However, if the recipient cannot be found there, the process server will turn to alternatives. In some cases, people leave their work address as their mailing address, so it’s only logical for the server to attempt to hand-deliver the documents to the party there. There is no law preventing them from doing so, and they do not need permission from the party’s employer.
Discreet and Safe Delivery
However, getting your legal papers at work can be embarrassing and uncomfortable, and that is why professional process servers do this discreetly. They usually approach the matter by simply checking in with the front desk first and then quietly handing the papers to you. They can tell you what the legal forms are for and provide you with other relevant information.
Other Alternatives
Other AlternativesServing legal papers at your home or workplace are not the only ways. If the process server can’t find you at your home or work address multiple times, then they can proceed with other measures. Depending on the laws of the state and the type of case, these could include:
Substituted service – The process server leaves the papers with a person aged at least 18, such as a relative or roommate, at the intended recipient’s address.
Service by posting on the premises and mailing – Also called “nail and mail,” this involves posting the legal papers on the premises where the intended recipient is likely to see it, such as the front door. Using certified mail, the process server must also send a copy of the papers to the intended recipient at their last known address.
Service by publication – Publishing the legal documents, whether it’s a summons or complaint, in a newspaper circulated in the area where the intended recipient is likely to be.
Hire a Professional Process Server
Being served legal documents at work is legal, and process servers can reach out to you at this place if they cannot reach you at home.
Hiring a skilled process service is crucial to delivering information to the right person and on time. One mistake can impede the whole litigation.
Serve Index LLC is a skilled process service company that can deliver the required legal documentation with the utmost care. Contact us by phone, email, or mail, or fill out the online form if you have questions.