Understanding the Service of Process
Legal transactions have many rules intended to protect the rights of people involved on both sides of the case. One of those rules is that every person involved in the transaction must be legally notified. In this video, viewers learn how that legal notification occurs. A worker entrusted by the court or lawyer to present legal notification is called a process server.
People who want to understand the legal implications of the service of process can imagine the legal case as a circle. Only when the recipient acknowledges receipt of the paperwork can that person claim they are unaware of any pending lawsuit.
Using the circle analogy, acknowledging receipt of the paperwork brings the recipient “into the circle.”
The signature on documents sent via a process server has significant legal meaning. It speaks for the person receiving it and becomes their virtual voice. Once a person signs the receipt, they can no longer claim they were unaware of being served with paperwork.
The video revealed that although most legal documents are delivered in person, some law firms prefer to send them by certified mail. Certified mail is a legal alternative only when the case involves less than $10,000. Another alternative to process servers is advertising in the local newspaper. This method has declined in popularity due to the digitization of the newspaper industry.
