When you think of the legal profession, your first thought might be of lawyers, judges and courtrooms, but there are a number of other important people working behind the scenes to insure that everything runs smoothly. For example, Process Servers are professionals that attorneys rely upon, but very few outside of the industry know much about.
Process Servers play a vital role in getting information to those who need it. Their responsibilities include delivering and retrieving documents, implementing various legal affairs such as evictions, subpoenas and complaints, and submitting court filings. However, since many court documents are too important to be sent by mail, their principal duty is to hand-deliver these notifications to people involved in court cases.
What it takes to be a Successful Process Server
When delivering notifications, Process Servers need to be able to think quickly on their feet. They interact with people at pivotal moments of their lives, and the reactions they face can range from pleased to angry, indignant to evasive. To be successful, servers need to be calm, persistent, and have a good understanding of the law.
In some areas, a license is required to be a Process Server. The licensing requirements vary from state to state, and in some cases, from city to city. In most cases, a background check, surety bond, and passing an exam is required.
A National Code of Standards and Ethics
The National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS) is the professional organization that represents the group. The organization was chartered in 1982 and has representatives in every state. NAPPS maintains a strict code of ethics binding each member to provisions and principals guaranteeing the highest level of service to their clients, legal entities and the general public.
