Knowing if a Process Server is Legitimate

Hiring a process server can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. With so many scams out there these days, it’s no wonder that we’re all skeptical about even valid legal services. Unfortunately, the process service industry has also been affected by scammers, so it’s more important than ever to verify that whoever you’re paying is who they say they are.

To make sure the process server you hire is legit, make sure:

They’re Certified

All private process servers in Florida must be certified by the judicial circuit or local Sheriff where they plan to work. Here in Tallahassee, process serves are governed by Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit, which only covers Leon County. A list of currently certified process servers in the 2nd Judicial Circuit is maintained here. If you cannot find the process server’s name that you want to hire on this list, they are not qualified to serve process in Leon County and any process they do serve is invalid.

They Have References

Just like any other career, as you progress and time goes on, you gain references from past clients who were happy with your work. Process service is no different. Seasoned servers should be able to produce a list of references that they’ll have no problem with you verifying. If they can’t, or if the references don’t match up when you call them, move on to the next candidate.

They Provide Proof of Service

Another crucial element of the serving process is providing both the court and the client with proof of that service. For civil summons and some other types of cases, a copy of the proof of service should be filed with the court where the case originated, and another copy should be given to the client (plaintiff). If the process server you’re interviewing has no proof of service process in place, it’s best to choose someone else.

Legit Process Servers in Tally

At Accurate Serve® of Tallahassee, we check the credentials of all our servers, so you don’t have to. All our servers are certified to work in Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit and are fully trained on Florida’s process service laws. Give us a call at 850-519-5494 or send us a work request online to get started with 100% legitimate process servers today.