Process serving

Stakeout / Surveillance

Coordinated stakeout with a registered process server when the defendant is evasive or the address is gated.

Price$80/hr/ hour

Delivery windowScheduled by caseFrom payment confirmation

Long form

Stakeout is the right tool when a defendant is actively evading service, when the address is behind a gate or doorman, or when prior attempts have produced refusals to answer. A re…

What's included

Everything in the flat rate.

No per-attempt upcharges. No mileage line items inside the standard coverage area.

Stakeout is the right tool when a defendant is actively evading service, when the address is behind a gate or doorman, or when prior attempts have produced refusals to answer. A registered process server posts at or near the address for a planned window, observes vehicle movement and resident comings-and-goings, and makes the personal-service attempt when the defendant emerges. Every observation is GPS-tagged and photographed; the field log is delivered with the case file. We staff stakeouts in two-hour blocks (the minimum). A typical evasive-defendant matter resolves inside three to six hours; a tightly-controlled gated address may run longer. We coordinate with you in advance on the target window — pre-work hours, post-work hours, weekend mornings — based on what is known about the defendant's schedule. If the stakeout produces a successful personal serve, the service line is included in the stakeout cost (no separate service fee). Real outcomes we see: a defendant who refused six prior attempts served on the second hour of a Saturday-morning watch; a CEO at a gated estate served walking to the morning car at 6:45 AM; a witness in a high-rise served exiting the building lobby at 9:10 AM. Stakeout exists because some defendants will not be served any other way.

Registered process server staffed for the stakeout window

Two-hour minimum, billed hourly thereafter

GPS-tagged and photographed observation log

Personal-service attempt when the defendant emerges

Service line included if the stakeout produces a successful serve

Pre-stakeout coordination on target window and patterns

Discreet observation — no contact until the moment of service

When to use it

Right tool for the matter.

Pick this service when one of these applies.

Defendant has refused or evaded multiple prior attempts
Gated community or doorman building
Defendant's known patterns suggest a specific window (morning departure, school dropoff, return from work)
High-profile case where the defendant has actively coached household members to refuse
Subpoena on a witness who has gone quiet after acceptance

How it works

Four steps. AI handles the orchestration.

01
Start a chat.
Drop in your documents or describe the matter. AI extracts the parties and the address.
02
Confirm and pay.
Quote appears in the Preview Panel. Square handles the card. Every case paid up-front — no Net invoicing.
03
We dispatch.
AI ranks the nearest qualified server. Admin confirms. You watch attempts live in chat.
04
Affidavit delivered.
Signed proof hits your inbox and Preview Panel. Court-ready.

Auto-tier rule

We pick Stakeout / Surveillance automatically when your case is due in . You can always override the tier on the case quote before payment.

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Legal basis

Statutes that govern this service.

The affidavit or receipt we deliver tracks the form requirements of the jurisdiction where the work is performed.

Governing law

State-specific PI / surveillance licensing rules where applicable; service-of-process attempt rules at the moment of contact (e.g., CCP §415.10).

Affidavit / receipt

Stakeout observation log + standard POS (POS-010 in CA) on successful service

Delivered to your dashboard on completion.

Disclaimer. Servd is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Statutory citations are informational. Consult counsel for matter-specific questions.

FAQ

Common questions.

If your situation isn't here, start a chat and we'll answer specifically.

How long does a stakeout typically run?

Most evasive-defendant stakeouts resolve in three to six hours. The two-hour minimum is the floor; we bill hourly thereafter at $80/hr. You set the cap up-front and we check in at the cap before continuing.

Is the observation log usable in court?

The log is field documentation of attempts and conditions. The court-filing artifact is the POS on successful service plus the diligence declaration covering the stakeout hours; the log itself is supporting evidence on motions to compel or for substituted service.

Can the server make contact before the defendant emerges?

No — that defeats the purpose. The point of a stakeout is to wait for the defendant in a location where personal service is unambiguously valid (in public, on a sidewalk, at the moment they exit a vehicle). Pre-emergence contact through a doorman or gate often produces a refusal.

What if the defendant never emerges during the window?

You receive the full observation log, GPS, and photo documentation. From there you can re-schedule for a different window, escalate to a longer block, or use the diligence record to support an ex parte motion for substituted service.

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