Accurate Serve® of Jacksonville is a trusted process service agency located in Jacksonville, Florida. We understand that legal matters can extend beyond state lines, and serving process to individuals located outside the state of Florida can present unique challenges. In this post, we will discuss the process and methods involved in serving individuals outside Florida’s jurisdiction and explain how Accurate Serve® can efficiently handle these situations.

Understanding Out-of-State Service of Process

The serving process refers to the legal act of delivering legal documents, such as complaints, summonses, or subpoenas, to individuals involved in a legal matter. When the person being served is located outside the state of Florida, the process becomes more complex. The key to serving process out of state is to adhere to legal procedures and ensure compliance with the laws of both Florida and the jurisdiction in which the process is actually being served. Florida’s official stance on the serving process that originates in Florida or anywhere outside of Florida can be found in Chapter 48.194 of the 2022 Florida Statutes. Continue reading →

Here at Accurate Serve® of Jacksonville, Jacksonville’s premier private process service agency, we understand the importance of serving legal documents in a timely and accurate manner. Whether you’re a lawyer, a private individual, or a business owner, you will probably need the services of a process server at some point in your life. In our guide below, we’ll provide you with an overview of the types of papers that can be served by process servers. Continue reading →

The legal industry has been one of the last holdups in making the transition from pen and paper to the digital world, and the service of process is no exception. While there are still many parts of the service of process that require physical paperwork, technology is slowly revolutionizing the process service industry not just in Florida, but nationwide. In this post, we will discuss some of the ways technology is changing the process service industry and how it is benefiting process servers and clients alike.

Case Management

One of the biggest changes that technology has brought to the process service industry is the ability to manage cases and clients more efficiently. With the use of software and cloud-based systems, process service agencies can now track the status of each case in real time, assign tasks to process servers, and monitor their progress. This has made it easier for process servers to manage their workload and ensure that they are meeting their client’s needs promptly. For example, at Accurate Serve® of Jacksonville, we offer all of our clients the ability to track their cases in real time using our online status tracker. Continue reading →

Serving legal documents is not always an easy task. This is especially true in cases of eviction, which can be emotionally charged and stressful. In this post, we will discuss why you should hire a process server for evictions and the benefits that come with it.

Expertise and Experience

Process servers are experts in serving legal documents, including evictions. They have the necessary experience and knowledge to serve documents quickly and efficiently, which is especially important in cases of eviction.  Continue reading →

Once you’ve filed your complaint with Duval County’s Civil Court and received a summons for your case, it’s time to hire a private process server to deliver the summons, complaint, and any other pertinent documents to the defendants named in the lawsuit. You may also need a process server to deliver subpoenas to witnesses you intend to call during the case. But how will you, and Duval County Court, know that the process has been successfully served?

What is Proof of Service?

Proof of service is a document that is completed by the process server once the process has been successfully delivered to the named defendants. In Florida, proof of service typically contains the date and time of service along with the name, signature, and identification number of the process server. If the person being served agrees to sign the proof of service, this is highly recommended. Continue reading →

You may feel like all the scammers are currently working on selling extended warranties for vehicles, but trust us, they’re everywhere. Scam process servers are a big issue here in Florida. These unscrupulous servers know that anyone who files a civil lawsuit here in Jacksonville must use either law enforcement or a process server approved by the sheriff’s office to serve the process for their case, so they’re chomping at the bit once they can see that a case has been filed. Once they get you on the hook, you’ll be lucky if all they do is run off with your cash. Here are just a few of the dangers that are involved with using a fraudulent process server:

Lost Money

What’s the #1 thing that fraudulent process servers are trying to get out of you? If you guessed cash, then you win the prize! Stealing your money is a scammer’s top goal, and they’ll say or do anything to achieve it. After they’ve convinced you that they’re a legitimate server, they’ll likely ask you to pay for the entire service up front using either cash or a peer-to-peer payment app like Cash App or Zelle. Once you’ve sent the payment, they’ll disappear like a ghost, never to be seen or heard from again. Continue reading →

Process servers are an essential part of the legal system, ensuring that people are properly notified of legal matters and keeping the court schedule flowing smoothly. Without process servers, courtrooms would be scheduling nightmares with a backlog of cases or maybe even passing judgment on people who don’t even know they’re supposed to be in court. What a mess! So surely the court gives process servers permission to bend and break the law a little, right?

No!!!

Process Servers Must Abide by All Laws, All the Time

No matter what, a process server is NEVER allowed to break any law, no matter how minor. If they do, they can be charged with criminal charges just like anyone else. This includes trespassing, breaking and entering, making threats, harassment, assault, property destruction, or anything else. Continue reading →

You’ve filed your case with civil court…now it’s time to serve the defendants and witnesses with their summons and subpoenas. If you don’t follow the rules and use someone who isn’t authorized to serve process in Florida, you’re taking a risk of having your entire case thrown out for improper service.

So how do you know if the process server you’re considering using is legit? 

They’re approved/appointed/certified to work where you need service

No matter where the process server plans to work in Florida, they must all meet the following minimum requirements: Continue reading →

What is Process?

According to Cornell Law School, the process is paperwork relevant to a specific court case that needs to be served on the case’s defendant. 

What is a Process Server?

A process server is a person who delivers legal process to its intended recipient. The recipient could be a case defendant, witness, subject-matter expert, or other stakeholders in the case.  Continue reading →

Using an approved process server in Jacksonville is required for the delivery of most legal documents. Only process servers approved by the Duval County Sheriff’s Office may serve legal process in this county. Using an unapproved process server could get your entire case thrown out. In this post, we’ll go over the tell-tale signs that you’re dealing with a process server that is not reputable.

No Sheriff Approval

As mentioned above, anyone serving process in Duval County must first be approved by the Duval County Sheriff’s Office. As of the date of this post, Duval County is not accepting applications for new process servers and is only renewing the approvals of existing servers. So not only should you request proof of sheriff approval when interviewing potential process servers, but you should also be wary of any server that claims to have been approved in Duval County over the past few years. When in doubt, give the sheriff’s office a call to confirm the server’s statements. Continue reading →