No one wants to get served with a summons to court, but sometimes in life, it just happens. When and if you do ever get served with the court process, it’s important to handle the situation maturely. So many people try to use aggression, deceit, or even violence to get out of being served, but these are the worst things you can do. Each will lead to more legal issues that could end up costing you thousands or even land you in jail!
Avoid these common mistakes we see people make when being served, and you’ll be one step closer to resolving your legal troubles:
Lying
This is probably the most common mistake we see people make when being served. No one ever wants to admit who they are, but that doesn’t always mean service can’t be made. Even without someone admitting to their identity, we can still confirm it with verified photographs, demographic information, and statements from others. Lying can often delay service, but the delay is temporary.
Being Aggressive
From yelling and hurling insults to making aggressive gestures to pacing back and forth, many people seem to respond with some sort of aggression when being served. Now, we don’t expect you to be happy about the situation, so some negativity or bemoaning is to be expected, but there’s no reason to scream. Graciously accepting the process is always the best way to go.
Making Threats
This is a step up from passive aggression by actually directing a threat of violence at the process server. We take this type of behavior very seriously and always attempt to de-escalate these situations. However, involving the police is not out of the question at this point if we feel there is a real threat of physical harm.
Throwing the Process Away
Sometimes after confirming a person’s identity and giving them the process in person, they’ll make a point to throw it on the ground or in the trash, as if this somehow negates the validity of the service. It does not. Once we’ve confirmed an identity and the documents are delivered, you can shoot them off to the moon if you want…the case will still proceed.
Asking for Advice
Lots of people ask for advice about their case when being served with the process, and we get it, going through a lawsuit can be scary. However, we’re not allowed to provide any type of legal advice and will always recommend you speak to a qualified attorney instead. Sorry.
Committing Violence
Unfortunately, some people respond with actual acts of physical violence in response to being served with a lawsuit. In a few of these cases, process servers have been tragically killed in a real-life “shoot the messenger” scenario. Acts of violence against process servers are appalling and should be punished with the same severity as other public personnel, such as police and EMTs. Process servers provide an essential legal service that upholds our fundamental Constitutional rights, and they should be protected without exception.
Tally’s Top Process Service Agency
For the best process servers in Tallahassee, Accurate Serve is the call to make. Our servers have dealt with everything from civil lawsuits to criminal subpoenas to evictions to family law cases and more, so we have the knowledge and experience to get your case process served efficiently. Contact us at (850) 519-5494 or send us a work request online to get started today.
