How to Become a Civil Process Server for Federal Courts
Process servers fill an important role in the federal courts system. It is they who ensure defendants receive fair notice about civil complaints filed against them. The completion of their task establishes the initial deadlines in the case. Though the federal qualifications for process servers are minimal, some states have additional licensing and bonding requirements.
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Instructions
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Reach the age of 18. Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure establishes only two requirements for federal process servers. The first is that they must be at least 18. The second, that they not be a party to the case, is usually not an important factor.
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Learn service methods. Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure outlines the legal methods by which service of process can be effectuated. In most cases, service involves hand-delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to the defendant personally, leaving a copy at the defendant's dwelling with another resident there of suitable age and discretion or delivering a copy to an attorney or, if a corporation, the authorized agent.
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Meet state licensing and bonding requirements (if any). While many states do not regulate the process server industry, some do. California, for example, requires anyone who serves process 10 or more times in a year to be registered with their home county and bonded for $2,000.
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Develop essential skills. A process server is part detective, part problem-solver. Though the description of the task is simple, getting a document into the hands of someone who doesn't want to be served can be challenging. In preparation for working as a process server, it's a good idea to learn how to search public records to track people, and to develop investigative, self-defense and organizational skills.
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Tips & Warnings
The most challenging aspect of working as a process server is getting work. Local area attorneys will tend to use reliable process-server companies with good reputations. Starting with one of these companies is a good way to get ahead in the field of process serving.
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- Photo Credit Hand and document at the meeting image by Dmitry Goygel-Sokol from Fotolia.com
