$99 to serve. Beats hand-delivering and praying for an acknowledgement.
California small-claims rules require service by a neutral 18+ adult who is not a party (CCP §414.10). One of our CA-licensed servers handles SC-100 service and returns the SC-104B Proof of Service before your hearing deadline. $99 standard per defendant.
In CA small claims, the defendant must be served at least 15 days before the hearing (10 days for in-county service per CCP §116.340). Service must be by an adult not a party — you can’t serve your own SC-100. Mail by the clerk is allowed but unreliable; most plaintiffs use a registered process server.
CA small-claims service deadlines (CCP §116.340)
| Defendant location | Min days before hearing |
|---|---|
| Same county as the court | 10 days |
| Different CA county | 15 days |
| Out of state (rare in small claims) | Court order required |
Day-count is calendar days. The day of service does not count; the hearing day does not count. So a same-county hearing on 5/30 requires service on or before 5/19. Servd shows the deadline on the dashboard.
What we serve
All small-claims-related Judicial Council forms. Caption + filing court are pulled from your uploaded PDF; you confirm before dispatch.
How it works
Upload + AI extracts
Claude reads SC-100. Pulls defendant name, address, hearing date, court. Flags low-confidence addresses.
Deadline calculated
AI computes the §116.340 deadline (10 or 15 days before hearing). If you're cutting it close we surface the rush options.
Server attempts
CA-licensed server attempts personal service. Up to 3 attempts at different times included in the $99.
Substituted or posting if needed
CCP §415.20 sub-service after diligence. If still unserved we surface skip-trace +$40 to find current address.
SC-104B Proof of Service
AI drafts SC-104B from attempt log. Human reviewer + server sign. PDF emailed; original mailed.
Pricing
| Standard (per defendant) | $99 |
| Multiple defendants (same address) | +$30 each |
| Skip-trace (find new address) | +$40 |
| Rush (cutting close to deadline) | +$30 |
| Same-day (CA metros, before 11am) | +$25 |
Flat-rate per case. Up to 3 attempts included. No surprises.
Common mistakes
Serving the defendant yourself
CCP §414.10 prohibits this in CA. Even if the defendant accepts, the judge can dismiss for improper service. Always use a neutral third party.
Missing the §116.340 deadline
In-county service less than 10 days before hearing = continuance. We compute the deadline on intake; if you order too late we suggest postponement (SC-105) instead.
Service-by-mail by the clerk
CCP §116.330 allows the clerk to mail certified, but rejection rate is ~40% in our experience. Personal service is way more reliable for $99.
Wrong proof-of-service form
SC-104 is for personal service; SC-104B is for service by mail. Half of small-claims rejections we see are using the wrong form.
FAQ
My hearing is in 9 days. Can you still serve in time?
Same-county service requires ≥10 days notice — you're below the line. Two options: (1) request a postponement with form SC-105 to give us a longer runway, or (2) try same-day service today; if the first attempt makes it before midnight you're at 9 days. We help you decide on intake.
Can I serve more than one defendant in one trip?
Yes if they share an address. Same-address co-defendants = $99 + $30 each additional. Different addresses = full $99 per defendant.
What if the defendant is a business?
CCP §416.10 requires service on the registered agent OR an authorized officer. We look up the registered agent from the SOS registry automatically.
Will the server testify if my service is challenged?
Yes. Every CA-licensed server we use will testify. GPS-stamped attempt log + signed SC-104B usually settles motions to quash without testimony.