“You’ve been served!”
You have likely heard that saying countless times on movies and tv shows. The scene usually involves a man or woman being surprised by someone who slaps them with an envelope of paperwork while touting the well-known phrase. The reality is actually not TOO far from the on-screen version and it is all about Process Serving or to be more formal, “Service of Process.”
Service of Process services are initiated when one person decides to sue another. This could be an individual case, or one brought about by or against a group or commercial firm. The law stipulates that anyone who is being sued be “served” which basically means, informed of the lawsuit and the particulars of what that person is accused of doing. One someone is officially and legally served (this means the person has been identified and physically handed the legal paperwork) then they are able to respond to the lawsuit, hire an attorney, etc.
Sounds simple enough, right? Not always…
Oftentimes, if someone knows a lawsuit is imminent, they will either go into hiding or their lifestyle may make tracking them down difficult. This is where hiring an experience private investigator can make the “process” much easier for whomever initiated the lawsuit.
First of all, an experienced private investigator will have performed these services MANY times prior. They will be familiar with the scenarios that will help ensure the paperwork is served properly, legally, and more importantly (especially if you are paying the bill) as economically as possible. Here are just a few of the activities that a private investigator will undertake during the “Service of Process.”
Background investigation– This deals with the investigator learning everything they can about the person who is to be served. Where they live, where they work, what organizations they belong to…everything.
Periodic or long-term stakeouts– Oftentimes, a person who is in the process of being sued may change their daily activities. As the lawsuit cannot legally move forward until the person is served, they may go on extended vacations, change their normal day to day activities or try to be as evasive as possible, thereby making the process of SERVING even more difficult. An experienced PI will do their best to track them down and make the physical “serve” happen.
Trash detail– Think being a private investigator is sexy? Think again. One way that a PI can gain info about the whereabouts of someone is by, simply put, digging through the trash. This involves sifting through the garbage left out weekly by the one they are trying to serve. While not ideal, it can provide key information as to that person’s whereabouts and comings and goings. Nope, no fun, but, effective, absolutely.
One of the main drivers of PROCESS OF SERVICE is this…how much money is involved in the lawsuit. The more money involved, the more intensive the PROCESS OF SERVICE services will be. Regardless of whether you are looking to initiate a small or large lawsuit, hiring a private investigator with lots of experience in this area will be an incredibly wise, and likely cost-saving solution.
