How Long Does It Take to Have My Papers Served?
When you file a legal complaint against another person with the Clerk of Court in Florida county, the countdown begins. It is now the plaintiff’s responsibility to assure that the parties mentioned in the lawsuit and court summons are notified appropriately. In order to comply with this notification requirement, you must provide it by a law enforcement officer or approved private process server.
Deadlines
Summons & Complaints
The plaintiff has 120 days (approximately 4 months) from the date of filing to serve the named defendant(s) with the summons and complaint. For all the guidelines on how process may be served, see Florida’s state laws governing process servers (there are a few!).
Subpoenas
In the event that a witness or subject matter expert is called to testify or provide evidence, they must be given adequate notice of their court appearance so that they may prepare. Subpoenas should be delivered in the same manner as summonses and complaints. In-person delivery is preferred, but service by mail or publication can be used in cases when in-person delivery isn’t possible. For service by mail, the process must be postmarked at least 7 days before the appearance date. Service by publication must be published in a prominent location at the intended recipient’s confirmed home for at least 5 business days prior to the requested appearance date.
Other Documents
Each court case has its own set of regulations and procedures. For additional information on other sorts of court papers and their timelines, contact the local Clerk of Court or speak with an attorney.
Meet All Process Deadlines With Accurate Serve®
Ready to get your case documents served quickly and efficiently? Most service requests we receive are completed within a few days! You may also keep up with your case anytime using our easy online status tracker.
The Best Process Servers in Tally
You can count on Accurate Serve® to deliver the best process servers in Tallahassee. We keep up with all of the essential deadlines, so you’ll never have to worry about your lawsuit being dismissed due to late service. To get started, call (850) 519-5494 or fill out a work request online.