Can You Refuse Served Papers?

Process serving falls into the legal system under the due process of law, which states that an accused individual has the right to know what legal actions he or she is facing with enough time to build a defense case. The server will deliver any notifications, summons, and any other paperwork to those who are involved in the case. Each state has different laws on how the documents must be served, so a process server must know all the different rules on how to serve the paperwork. But what happens if someone refuses the papers that are served to them?

Depending on the state, they may have different laws when it comes to the acceptance of papers. If the person being served admits their identity and or can be verified by a known source, social media, neighbor, MVA information, ect. The process server may leave the papers with them regardless if they physically take them or not, and the service is still effective.

If you are avoiding a process server, a judge may allow the papers to be left at your home or business with any competent person over the age of 18. A judge may also allow the summons to be mailed to your home or business address via certified mail. If either of these methods fail, the judge may allow the person looking to take legal action against you to post notices in local newspapers.