Process serving, demystified.
Short explainers for the rules + vocabulary your firm runs into every day. No paywall, no email gate.
State service rules
Plain-English breakdowns of the service-of-process rules in each state we cover.
How to serve someone in California
California Code of Civil Procedure rules for serving a summons + complaint, including the 60-day deadline, sub-service after 3 diligent attempts, and the CCP §2015.5 affidavit format.
California service-of-process rules — county-by-county cheatsheet
The county-by-county guide most California paralegals never get: Alameda Local Rule 3.50, San Diego 2.1.5, San Francisco's unwritten "work shift" rule, the safe-harbor pattern that survives in all 58 counties, and the AB 747 changes coming in 2027.
How to serve someone in Texas
Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 106 and 107 — who can serve, alternative methods, return of citation, and the 90-day deadline.
How to serve someone in Florida
Florida Statutes Chapter 48 — certified process server requirements, substituted service under §48.031, and the 120-day deadline.
How to serve someone in New York
New York CPLR 308 — personal, substituted, "nail and mail" service, the 120-day rule, and NYC process server licensing.
How to serve someone in Illinois
Illinois Code of Civil Procedure 735 ILCS 5/2-203 — sheriff or special process server, abode service, and the 60-day Cook County deadline.
California substitute service (CCP §415.20)
Substitute service in California (CCP §415.20) lets you serve a defendant by leaving papers with a competent adult and mailing a copy — only after diligent attempts at personal service fail.
California proof of service: POS-040 explained
California uses Judicial Council form POS-040 for personal service and POS-020 for service by mail. Here is what each form requires and how Servd prepares yours.
Legal term explainers
No-nonsense definitions of the legal vocabulary every paralegal needs to know.
What is service of process?
Plain-English explanation of service of process: what it is, why courts require it, who can serve, and how affidavits prove it happened.
What is substituted service?
Substituted service ("sub-service") explained: when it's allowed, who counts as a "competent adult", and how the mailing requirement works.
What is skip tracing?
Skip tracing explained: the investigative process used to find people who have moved, are avoiding service, or are otherwise difficult to locate.
What is an affidavit of service?
Affidavit of service (proof of service / return of citation): what it is, what it must contain, and what happens if it has errors.
What is UPL (unauthorized practice of law)?
Unauthorized practice of law explained — the line between legal information and legal advice, and what process servers + LegalTech platforms must avoid.
What is process serving?
Process serving is the formal delivery of legal documents to a party in a court case. It is required by due process so the defendant has notice and can respond.
Who can legally serve papers?
In most states any 18+ adult who is not a party can serve papers. Some states require registration. Here are the rules and the practical pitfalls.
What if a defendant avoids service?
A defendant who dodges the door doesn’t stop your case. The legal toolkit goes from diligent re-attempts, to substituted service, to skip-trace, to posting and (last resort) publication.