What Job Functions Does a Process Server Perform?

Have you ever wondered what a process server does? You’ve probably seen movies or TV shows where someone approaches the main character and hands them an envelope and says, “You’ve been served!” Then the character is required to appear in court or is being sued.

But is that accurate, and what are a process server’s job duties? Here are five things you need to know about a process server’s job:

1. A lawyer, private investigator, legal services firm and others hire process servers to find a person and deliver documents to a person who is having a legal action against them.
2. They perform a very important step in the legal process, since a person who is supposed to show up at a courthouse must first be served with certain legal papers. If a person doesn’t receive these legal documents, it can delay a trial, result in very high legal fees, or the case might even be thrown out by the judge.
3. To find the person, a process server must sometimes do research and a little detective work, especially if the person is trying to avoid being served.
4. Once the process server finds the individual, they must follow certain steps when serving the legal documents:
   • It must be in a public place.
   • The person must say they’re the individual mentioned in the documents.
   • The individual being served must sign for the papers.
5. Process servers often work at different times of the day and travel to find the person who must be served. The individual may be upset and frustrated with the process server.

While a process server may sometimes have a challenging job, it’s also ensures that the legal process runs smoothly and efficiently.