Know The Things a Process Server Can NOT Do

In the world of litigation, process servers play a crucial role in ensuring that legal proceedings run smoothly. They are the ones who ensure that all involved parties receive necessary court documents, hence paving the way for justice to take its course. Here at Accurate Serve of Tallahassee, we understand the significant responsibilities our profession entails, and we commit to delivering services in strict adherence to Florida’s laws and regulations.

However, while a process server can do many things, it’s equally important to know the things a process server CAN NOT do. Any missteps in the process could jeopardize the plaintiff’s case, resulting in costly delays or even case dismissal.

How are Florida Process Servers Governed?

Here in Florida, a network of judicial circuits tightly regulate the behavior and actions of private process servers. This includes mandatory training on all laws and rules associated with serving process in Florida and passing an exam to demonstrate the potential server’s knowledge. Process servers found breaching these regulations risk having their certification revoked, or worse, being permanently banned from serving process in Florida. Private process servers working anywhere in Leon County, including Tallahassee, must be certified by Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit.

Honesty is Essential

One of the most essential principles a process server at Accurate Serve of Tallahassee adheres to is honesty. We DO NOT:

1. Lie about who we are to gain access to a process recipient
2. Misrepresent ourselves as police officers or any other type of emergency personnel
3. Pose as any mail or package delivery service, such as USPS, UPS, FedEx
4. Commit any crime while working, including entering any private property without express permission, communicating threats, or damaging property
5. Verbally or physically threaten or abuse a process recipient
6. Have a vested interest in the outcome of the case we serve

State and Local Laws

In addition to honesty, we are also scrupulous about serving only when and where it is legally permitted. We DO NOT:

1. Serve process without being registered as a process server in the county, judicial district, or state of service
2. Serve process on Sundays
3. Attempt to serve someone at their workplace without prior notification to their employer.
4. Attempt to serve at a place of business outside of regular business hours
5. Perform service of process by substitution or publication without obtaining court approval. And even with such approval, we never:
   1. Tamper with mailboxes or mail receptacles of any kind
   2. Leave process paperwork in openly accessible spaces
   3. Leave process paperwork with anyone unable to reasonably deliver it to the intended party
   4. Leave process paperwork with anyone under 15 years old

Accurate Serve Knows All the Do’s and Don’t’s

At Accurate Serve of Tallahassee, we believe that each assignment requires the utmost respect and common sense, as no two cases are alike. Given the evolving nature of our industry, it is impossible to enumerate every action not permitted. However, our experience working in Florida since 2009 has equipped us with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of Florida’s civil and criminal process laws. If you’re in need of professional and trustworthy process service, document retrieval, skip tracing, or diligent search services, give us a call at (850) 519-5494 or send us a work request online. If you’re outside our service area, visit theaccurateservefranchise.com to find the Accurate Serve location nearest you.