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Anyone who has received a summons, subpoena or any other such legal document of the court knows about process servers. They are the ones who deliver these papers to the parties involved in legal cases. The server can “hand-off” the documents to the defendant or deliver them to another individual in the defendant’s residence or place of business. The requirements for becoming a legal process server vary among states. This article offers some guidelines regarding how to become a process server.

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Steps

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    Understand the duties and responsibilities of a process server. These individuals are employed by lawyers or legal service groups to “serve” persons with court documents. Servers are a valuable component of the criminal justice system. Processors can keep things running smoothly and restrict additional legal expenses if they do their job properly.
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    Assess your skills to determine if you have what it takes to become a successful process server. Ideal candidates are:
    • Organized
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    • Sociable
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    • Team players
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    • Inquisitive
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    • Problem solvers
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    • Tenacious
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    • Adept
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    • Adaptable
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    Find out the requirements for becoming a process server in your particular state by contacting the county clerk’s office or the courthouse. Some states, such as Washington, require process servers to be licensed. In the case of New York, only certain parts of the state require licensure. In California process servers must be bonded, fingerprinted and consent to an FBI background check. If interested in becoming a process server you also should:
    • Ask if your state requires candidates to pass a Rules of Civil Procedure examination.
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    • Take the necessary steps to become bonded. In most cases this is done through an insurance or surety company.
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    • Contact your local sheriff’s department to get fingerprinted. You also may want to consider having your photograph on file with the courts.
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    Participate in a process server training program in your area or online. Some Internet programs offer National Association of Investigative Specialists (NAIS) certification upon completion of the training.
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    Acquire as much first-hand experience as possible. This allows you to make contacts and connections, obtain recommendations for future employment and ask questions of some of the best legal minds. Consider:
    • Volunteering at a law firm for the summer
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    • Applying for an internship in a law firm or with some other segment of the legal community
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    • Donating your time at a local law school or at the law school you are attending
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    Pursue and apply for process server jobs in your area. The Internet, telephone directories, law or private investigation firms and state chapters of the National Association of Professional Process Servers are good starting points.
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    Become an international or foreign process server by first becoming a process server in one of the courts in your state of residence. Once your name appears on that court’s list of certified process servers you are eligible to be an international server. International legal documents, however, generally are served via registered or certified mail or by a foreign attorney or a local process server.
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    Join a professional association, such as The National Association of Professional Process Servers. Take advantage of all the benefits and resources these groups have to offer.
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Tips and Warnings

  • Individuals must be a certified process server in the United States before becoming a foreign or international server.
  • Many foreign countries employ their own process servers who are familiar with that country’s legal system.

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Article Info

Categories: Legal Careers

In other languages:

Русский: стать судебным курьером, Español: Cómo ser un notificador de procesos, Italiano: Come Diventare un Process Server negli Stati Uniti

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