Serving Papers Safely

While the dangers of serving papers are nothing new to process servers, we’ve found that sometimes our clients don’t realize the risks and legal hassles that can result from sending an untrained process server into an emotionally charged situation.

There are a few steps both clients and process servers can take to ensure that documents are served safely and effectively, and with as few issues as possible.

How You Can Help Your Process Server

Serving documents safely starts with getting as much information about the target as possible. This starts with the client.

The more information we have about the person we’re serving, the more quickly and correctly our team can identify them.

Here are a few things clients can do to ensure a safe, successful serve:

• Let the process server know if there is any history of violence with the individual or in the situation
• Tell the process server if the individual is known to own any weapons
• Note whether it’s a type of case that likely involves high emotions (child custody, divorce, restraining order, etc.)
• Provide as much information as you can about the case and the individual to the process server
• Tell the process server if there are any known dangers about the area where they’re serving, such as potentially loose dogs

As a client, it’s always best to err on the side of over-informing your process server. The more information you give us, the better off your service will be.

What We Do in Training Our Process Servers

Our process servers are trained and aware of safety issues with serving process.

In order to ensure safety and an effective service, process servers must:

• Stay alert and aware of their surroundings. If they spot a potentially dangerous situation, they must re-evaluate and attempt the serve later
• Always be polite and respectful. Our process servers maintain a positive attitude
• Understand that receiving legal documents is an emotional experience, and do their best to diffuse tension and keep the situation calm
• Take additional precautions when serving at night, and understand the risks of serving papers after dark
• Park in a safe spot that makes it easy and quick to leave the area if there’s any sort of problem
• Never go inside the person’s home, and always take a few steps back from the door after ringing the doorbell
• Never turn their back on the person being served, as part of maintaining situational awareness
• Stay up to date on process server assault prevention and safety techniques.

Skilled Process Service Nationwide

At Torri’s Legal Services, we have years of experience serving legal documents in a variety of situations. Whether you need service of process just down the street from your office, across the country, or internationally, our team can help. Contact us today for a quote!