professional-process-servers

Affidavits of Service That Hold Up in Court: The Details Judges Look For

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:01 GMT

If service of process is the "hand-off," Affidavits of service are the receipt. When a case gets contested, that receipt has to read like a clear, checkable record, not a memory.

Courts don't want guesswork. They want dates, times, places, and facts that match the rules for the type of service used. A strong affidavit also explains anything unusual, like evasive behavior or a locked gate, in plain language.

What makes an affidavit of service credible

A court-ready affidavit sounds calm and factual. It avoids conclusions like "they were hiding." Instead, it reports what the server saw and did.

Include these basics every time:

Who served the papers : full name, role (process server), and any license or registration details if your jurisdiction requires it.
What was served : document names, case name, court, and case number.
How service happened : personal service, substitute service, posting, mailing, or other allowed method, stated clearly.
Who received the documents : the defendant or another person, plus their relationship if known.

If a detail can't be backed up later, leave it out. Courts prefer a short, accurate affidavit over a long, shaky one.

Times and dates: small gaps create big problems

Time details matter because they answer the first challenge people raise: "I wasn't there."

Write the exact date and time of service. If you attempted service before success, list each attempt with its own date and time. Also note your time zone if you serve near a state line or you file in another state.

When you record attempts, keep them tight and consistent. For example, "03/02/2026 at 7:42 PM" is stronger than "evening." If your company uses GPS or photo logs, mention that they're available, but don't claim proof you don't have.

Locations: be precise, not "close enough"

A court needs the service location to be identifiable without extra interpretation. Use the full street address, including apartment number, building name, and any gate code details if they affected access.

Also note where service occurred at the address, for example, "at the front door," "in the lobby," or "at the reception desk." If service happened at a workplace, record the business name and suite number.

Descriptions that help identify the right person

When service is disputed, physical description can break the tie. Keep it objective and respectful.

Helpful identifiers include approximate age range, height, build, hair color, and notable features (glasses, uniform, visible tattoos). Add clothing only if it's memorable and relevant. If the person refused to provide a name, say that, then describe how you confirmed identity (self-identification, neighbors, vehicle registration context, or other lawful means your practice allows).

Notes that explain unusual situations

This is where many Affidavits of service either shine or fail. Add short notes when something could raise questions later, such as:

The subject spoke through a door but wouldn't open it.
A security guard denied entry and stated the subject's schedule.
Lights were on and a vehicle was present, but no one answered.

Write what happened, in order, without sarcasm or opinion.

Conclusion: write it like it will be read out loud

A solid affidavit is simple, complete, and easy to confirm. Focus on time, location, identification details, and clear attempt notes , then keep everything consistent with the method of service. If you're unsure what to include for a tricky serve, ask your process server before filing, because fixing a weak affidavit later can cost time, hearings, and momentum.

Skip Tracing for Hard-to-Find Defendants: What to Gather First (Step-by-Step)

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:01 GMT

When someone you need to serve keeps moving, dodges calls, or uses different names, a lawsuit can stall fast. You might have an old address, a partial phone number, or a social profile that looks active, but none of it helps a process server complete valid service.

That's where skip tracing hard-to-find defendants comes in. It's a legal search process that uses lawful sources to locate a serviceable address or a reliable contact path. Still, it works best when you provide strong starting facts.

This guide explains what to collect before you request a skip trace for lawsuits, evictions, family cases, and small claims. The payoff is simple: faster results, lower cost, and fewer dead ends.

Quick check, do you really need skip tracing for a hard-to-find defendant?

Skip tracing isn't always the first move. Sometimes the problem is smaller than it looks, like a missing apartment number or a typo in the street name. Other times, the person is still reachable, but you're calling the wrong number.

Start by pressure-testing what you already have. Look at your case file and ask, "If I were a stranger, could I find this person from these details?" If the answer is no, paying for multiple service attempts can turn into a slow leak of time and money.

A good first pass is to verify the basics. Confirm the address format (unit, direction, ZIP code). Check whether the name matches what's on your contract, lease, or police report. If you have a phone number, call at different times for two days. If you have an email, send one short message and keep it professional.

A "maybe" address often costs more than a skip trace, because it can trigger repeated attempts that never had a real chance.

Two common situations usually justify skip tracing right away: you have a deadline (court date, eviction timeline, statute issues), or you've already tried service and hit a wall. In those cases, a clean skip trace can narrow your options to addresses that are more likely to work.

Signs the address you have is not good enough for service

Some clues show up quickly once you try to use the address. Returned mail marked "not at this address" is an obvious one. Another is a gated community where the guard or office has no record of the name, and nobody can confirm the unit.

Neighbors can help too, even without sharing details. If multiple people say the defendant moved months ago, that's a strong sign the address is stale. Repeated no-contact attempts matter as well, especially when the lights are always off, the mailbox stays full, or the property looks vacant.

Missing details also break service attempts. A building without a unit number can turn one address into fifty doors. If utilities don't match the name, that doesn't prove anything by itself, but it often points to a mismatch. Finally, some people exist only online, with posts and photos but no fixed location. In that case, your "address" is more of a guess.

What kind of location you need depends on the case and the court rules

Not every address solves the same problem. A mailing address can be useful for contact, but it might not support personal service. A residence address may work, yet only if it's current and tied to the defendant. A workplace address can help in some situations, but service rules vary and some employers restrict access. Businesses add another layer, because a registered agent address may be the correct target, even when the owner is hard to find.

Because rules differ by state and case type, the goal is a deliverable, verifiable address that supports a valid service attempt. If you're unsure what your court requires, confirm with your attorney or your process server before you spend money chasing the wrong type of lead.

The step-by-step info to collect first (so skip tracing works faster and costs less)

Skip tracing works like a puzzle. The more clear edge pieces you provide, the faster the picture comes together. On the other hand, vague details can create mix-ups, especially with common names.

Focus on accuracy. Copy spellings exactly, include dates when you can, and note where each fact came from. Also keep it privacy-friendly: gather only information you already have a right to access, such as your case documents, prior communications, and lawful public records.

Step 1, Confirm the defendant's identity, full name, aliases, and key dates

Begin with names, because that's where most searches go wrong. Write down the full legal name, plus any misspellings you've seen. Add nicknames, prior married names, and any "goes by" names used on social profiles or messages.

If you have a date of birth, include it. If you don't, an approximate age range helps. Some clients also have the last 4 digits of an SSN or a driver license state from a lawful document. If you do, note it, but don't go hunting for sensitive data.

Good source documents include leases, contracts, checks, police reports, prior pleadings, and signed demand letters. Keep the name exactly as it appears on each document.

Step 2, Build a clean timeline of places they lived and worked

Next, turn scattered addresses into a timeline. List each last known address with date ranges, even if it's "around March 2024 to late summer 2024." Include unit numbers, building names, and any gate codes you already have from prior access.

Add landlord or property manager names if they appear in your file. Then list employers, job sites, and work locations tied to the same time periods. Old pay stubs, emails, and texts often show where someone worked, even when the job has changed.

Don't forget clues that feel small. A "return to sender" envelope, a forwarding sticker, or an address used in a recent message can save hours later.

Step 3, Gather contact details and digital clues that can be verified

Phone numbers and emails are more useful when you add context. Note which number was used for calls, which for texts, and when you last had a response. If you know a work number, include that too.

For social media, focus on what can be verified. Profile URLs, screenshots showing a city, employer, or recent posts can help confirm a lead. Names of close contacts can also help, because relatives sometimes share a consistent location pattern.

Keep it ethical. Don't harass anyone, don't impersonate, and don't try to access private accounts. A clean search beats a messy one, especially when service may be challenged.

Step 4, Collect case-specific documents that often contain hidden locator data

Many files already contain the missing piece, it's just buried. Lease applications often list prior addresses and emergency contacts. Promissory notes and invoices may include updated billing details. Accident reports can list employers, passengers, and prior residences.

Other helpful items include bounced checks, prior service papers, discovery responses, and demand letters with signatures and return addresses. In family matters, parties may have access to certain support records, but only share what you're allowed to share.

When you send documents to an investigator, flag the contact sections, signature blocks, employer fields, reference addresses, and emergency contacts. Those areas often produce the best leads.

Step 5, Note the "hard parts" up front, safety risks, access issues, and best times to attempt service

Service fails for practical reasons as often as it fails for "can't find them" reasons. If the defendant lives behind a security desk, note the building rules. If the area requires a call box, include the name listed on the directory if you know it.

Scheduling matters too. If the person works nights, travels for work, or only appears on weekends, say so. Also list vehicles, plate numbers, and usual parking spots if those details appear in your file.

Finally, share safety concerns early. Prior threats, restraining orders, weapons concerns, or volatile behavior change how a team plans attempts. In some places, law enforcement standby may be appropriate, based on local practice and professional judgment.

How to hand off the information to your process server or investigator (and what results to expect)

Once you've gathered the details, package them so someone can act on them quickly. Disorganized files slow everything down, even with a skilled skip tracer. A clear handoff also reduces back-and-forth, which keeps costs down.

Many firms handle Florida cases daily, while still running nationwide searches when a defendant leaves the state. That matters in March 2026, because people relocate often and remote work makes moves less predictable.

A good deliverable from a skip trace usually looks like a prioritized list of addresses , with notes on why each one fits and what should be tried first. Then service begins, which is a separate step. Finding a lead is not the same as completing service.

A simple intake package that gets faster answers

Aim for one short summary page, then attachments. This table format keeps the timeline readable:

Include a list of known bad addresses, best phone numbers, and any deadlines (court dates, hearing windows). Use a secure client portal or encrypted email when possible, and label files so they're easy to scan.

If service attempts start, GPS and photo documentation, plus email status updates, help you track progress without guessing.

Realistic timelines, common outcomes, and when to escalate the search

Sometimes a skip trace produces a strong lead the same day. Other times it returns several possible addresses that still need attempts. In tougher cases, you may only narrow it down to a county or region, especially with a common name or a very recent move.

Results also vary when someone uses relatives' addresses, travels out of state, or switches phones often. When first-pass leads fail, escalation may include deeper database work, field verification, workplace location efforts, or other lawful investigative steps. The right choice depends on your case needs and the service rules you must follow.

Conclusion

A hard-to-find defendant can make your case feel stuck, like you're chasing a shadow. Still, skip tracing hard-to-find defendants works best when you show up prepared. The right details reduce dead ends, speed up service, and help teams plan safer attempts.

Start by gathering the five steps of information: identity, timeline, verified contact clues, key documents, and any access or safety issues. Then send a clean intake package to a professional process server or investigator, and ask for a skip trace plus a service plan that fits your court's requirements.

What Paralegals Should Know About Coordinating Process Service

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:00:02 GMT

Proper service of process keeps a case alive and moving. If service is defective, courts in the USA typically lack personal jurisdiction and dismissal risks go up.

Paralegals are often the hub for planning, tracking, and documenting service. Getting the rules and logistics right protects clients and prevents avoidable motion practice.

Know the Rules: Federal, Florida, and Beyond

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4 sets the baseline in federal court. It covers timing, methods for individuals and entities, waiver of service, and service abroad.

Florida has its own detailed scheme in Chapter 48, Florida Statutes, and Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.070. Chapter 48 addresses who may serve and how to serve individuals and corporations, including residence service on someone 15 or older and corporate service on officers or registered agents.

Timing: Federal Rule 4(m) sets 90 days to serve after filing. Florida Rule 1.070 typically provides 120 days to serve, subject to court orders and good cause.
Individuals in Florida: See section 48.031 for personal and substituted service at a usual place of abode.
Corporations in Florida: See section 48.081 for service on officers, managing agents, or registered agents, and section 48.091 on registered offices.

Rules vary widely across the USA and surrounding areas. Always confirm local requirements before authorizing a method.

Who May Serve

In many U.S. jurisdictions, service can be completed by a sheriff, a licensed or certified private process server, or any competent nonparty adult if permitted by statute or rule.

In Florida, service is commonly performed by the sheriff or a certified or special process server authorized in the county. Verify that your vendor is approved, bonded or insured as required, and active on the relevant list.

Selecting and Managing a Process Server

Use experienced vendors who understand the court, the county, and the defendant type. A strong server documents every attempt with dates, times, photos, and GPS where available.

Check licensing, certification, and insurance. Ask about success on evasive subjects and corporate agents.
Confirm fees up front. Include per-attempt rates, rush or weekend rates, stakeout and skip-trace costs, and mileage.
Ask about technology. Electronic affidavits, GPS stamps, and online status updates help you defend service if challenged.

Practical Coordination Steps

Review the summons and complaint and choose a compliant method based on the facts and jurisdiction.
Calendar the service deadline and any client or insurer reporting dates.
Identify the correct target and address. For corporations, confirm registered agent details with the Secretary of State.
Send clear written instructions to the server and attach the documents in the format the court requires.
Specify the number of attempts, time windows, and evidence you need on return.
Monitor progress and adjust if the subject appears evasive or the address is stale.
Obtain the affidavit or return of service promptly, review it for accuracy, and file it per the court’s rules.
Update answer and default deadlines in your calendar based on the date and method of service.

Common Service Methods and Florida Notes

Personal service is usually the safest choice for avoiding jurisdictional challenges. Make it your default unless a statute authorizes otherwise.

Substituted service at a residence often requires delivery to a resident of suitable age. In Florida, Chapter 48 allows service at the usual place of abode on a person 15 or older who resides there, with notice of the contents.
Corporate service should go to an officer, managing agent, or registered agent. In Florida, consult sections 48.081 and 48.091.
Service by mail is limited by jurisdiction. If using certified mail, keep the signed return receipt.
Service by publication is a last resort that requires strict proof of diligent search and court approval.
Electronic service may be allowed by consent or rule in certain courts. Obtain written consent if required.
Special populations: minors, incapacitated persons, and active-duty military have added protections. Check the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and use the Department of Defense status database when needed.

Proof of Service: What to Review Before Filing

Court relief often depends on a proper affidavit or return of service. Do not file until it is complete and correct.

Server identity, signature, and qualification or identification number if required.
Exact date, time, and location of service and total pages served.
Method of service that matches what you authorized and what the rules allow.
Who was served and how they relate to the defendant if not served personally.
Attachments such as photos, GPS logs, or a signed green card for certified mail.

In Florida, returns commonly include the server’s ID and may include certification details. Vague language or missing data is a red flag.

Timing, Deadlines, and Calendaring

Federal courts generally require service within 90 days of filing, with limited extensions for good cause. Many answer deadlines run from the service date.

Florida practice generally allows 120 days to accomplish service, subject to court orders. Track answer dates and any altered deadlines when a waiver is used or when service occurs on a U.S. officer or agency.

Common Problems and Practical Fixes

If a defendant is evasive, confirm addresses through databases and public records, and authorize varied time windows for attempts. Consider substituted service if permitted.

When affidavits contain errors, correct them before filing. Preserve all logs and photos so you can oppose a motion to quash.

Ethics, Security, and Supervision

Paralegals should work under attorney supervision and avoid giving legal advice. Keep client and witness information confidential when sharing with vendors.

Do not authorize misrepresentation or unsafe tactics. Consider using the sheriff for high-risk situations or sensitive locations across Florida and throughout the USA.

Quick Instructions Checklist for Your Server

Case caption, court, and docket number.
Defendant name and any aliases.
Primary and backup addresses with best times to attempt.
Documents enclosed and number of copies.
Authorized method and number of attempts, with time windows.
Evidence required on return, including photos and GPS if available.
Deadline to email a signed PDF of the affidavit and where to send originals.
Approved rates and any preauthorized extra work.
Safety notes and a contact for questions.

A Note on Record Keeping

Maintain a service folder with instructions, documents sent, communications, affidavits, and cost receipts. Enter attempt notes in your case management system.

Update calendars as events occur and notify the attorney and the client when service is complete or when strategy should change.

We Can Help You Get It Served

Effective coordination keeps cases on track across Florida, the USA, and surrounding areas. If you need experienced support with routine, evasive, corporate, or international service, our team is ready to assist.

Contact Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. Visit https://www.proprocessservers.com/ or call (844) 530-0255 to speak with a coordinator who understands your deadlines and your court.

Why Businesses Should Outsource Process Serving to Professionals

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:01 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators explains why outsourcing service of process to professionals isn’t just a convenience—it’s a strategic decision that can save law firms and businesses substantial time, money, and stress. Managing process serving in-house often leads to inefficiencies, compliance risks, and staffing challenges that can derail a case. By outsourcing to trained professionals, firms gain accuracy, scalability, and cost control—all while keeping their teams focused on higher-value legal work.

Outsourcing process serving offers immediate cost savings—often between 50% and 70% compared to maintaining in-house staff. You eliminate the expenses of training, benefits, and idle time, paying only for the services you need. Professional process servers are trained in jurisdictional laws, ensuring that every serve is completed correctly, documented properly, and delivered on time. This expertise dramatically reduces the risk of invalid service , missed deadlines , or affidavit errors that can jeopardize litigation.

Another major benefit is scalability . Whether your firm is handling routine local cases or coordinating national litigation, outsourcing partners like Professional Process Servers & Investigators have the capacity and network to manage large volumes or urgent assignments without compromising quality. Their tech-enabled systems also provide real-time tracking, GPS verification, and digital reporting—giving you complete transparency and control without administrative headaches.

Ultimately, outsourcing process serving allows your attorneys and paralegals to stay focused on strategy and client service rather than logistical tasks. It’s a proven way to enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and boost profitability.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators , we deliver compliant, nationwide service of process that supports your firm’s growth and reliability goals.

�� Call us today at (844) 348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to discover how outsourcing your process serving can make your firm faster, more efficient, and ready for whatever comes next.

Integrating Process Serving Into Your Case Management Workflow

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Deadlines, filings, and proof move fast in litigation. Process serving sits right in the middle of that flow, yet it is often handled by email threads and spreadsheets that cause delays and missed details.

Bringing process serving into your case management system ties documents, attempts, proof, and invoices to the matter record. The result is fewer errors, faster cycle time, and real visibility for your team and clients across the USA and surrounding areas.

Why integrate process serving with your CMS

Faster turnaround: jobs spin up automatically from the matter, not by manual forms.
Fewer errors: names, addresses, case numbers, and PDFs carry over correctly.
Better proof: affidavits, photos, and GPS timestamps land in the file as soon as they are posted.
Cost control: routing rules and SLAs cut re-serves and admin time.
Visibility: dashboards track overdue jobs, completion rates, and spend by vendor.
Client experience: timely confirmations and fewer follow-ups for litigators and clients.

Where process serving fits in your case lifecycle

Intake: capture party details, addresses, and service preferences.
Pleadings: auto-create a service job when the complaint and summons are marked ready.
Discovery and motions: trigger service for subpoenas, notices, and motion papers.
Enforcement: serve writs and judgment-related documents.
Trial prep: schedule service for trial notices and witness subpoenas.

Legal checkpoints, with a Florida focus

Every jurisdiction sets its own rules for how, when, and on whom you can serve. Build checks into the CMS so the correct method is used for the court and venue.

Service methods: personal, substituted, service by mail, or service on counsel vary by state and country.
Deadlines: tie service triggers to statutes of limitations and court scheduling orders.
Proof requirements: ensure the correct return, affidavit, or certificate format is generated and notarized if required.
International: follow the Hague Service Convention for cross‑border matters and account for longer timelines.
Sealed or privileged filings: flag and restrict handling, storage, and transfer.

Florida specifics to build into your rules:

Florida Statutes Chapter 48 governs service of process, including who may serve and accepted methods.
Service is performed by the sheriff or a certified process server appointed in the circuit, per section 48.021.
Service on an individual often requires personal delivery or substituted service at the usual place of abode to a resident 15 years or older with an explanation of the contents, per section 48.031.
Corporations are generally served through the registered agent or an authorized officer under section 48.081. Keep registered agent details current in your matter data.
Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.070(j) generally sets a 120‑day timeframe to accomplish service after filing absent good cause.
Florida’s email service rule applies to attorney service of documents after appearance, not initial service of process. Plan for personal service even when your firm uses eService.

Integration approaches

Native module in your CMS : simple user experience but limited to supported vendors.
API‑to‑API : flexible, real‑time updates, and full control of mappings; needs developer support.
Low‑code middleware like Zapier or Make: quick to stand up for new‑document triggers; lighter on error handling.
Manual upload with auto‑attach : easy for small firms; reintroduces some manual steps.
Hybrid : create jobs via middleware, use vendor portals for execution and proof.

Data to sync with your vendor

Case identifier and court details
Recipient name, role, and contact
Service address and geocoded location
Service type and attempt rules
Due date, SLA, and escalation thresholds
PDFs to serve and any exhibits
Special instructions and safety notes
Billing or matter code
Returned artifacts: affidavit PDF, photos, GPS and timestamps, server notes, invoice

Sample automated workflow

Attorney finalizes documents in the CMS and marks Ready for Service.
The CMS sends an API call to the serving vendor with case data, PDFs, and the SLA.
The vendor returns a job ID and ETA; the matter timeline updates and notifies staff.
Status changes push back to the CMS as attempts are made.
On completion, the affidavit, photos, GPS data, and invoice attach to the matter automatically.
If the due date is at risk, the CMS escalates to a backup vendor or manual review.
Billing matches the invoice to the job and routes it for approval.

KPIs to track

Average days from job creation to completion
First‑attempt serve rate
Completion rate within SLA
Cost per serve by vendor and location
Percentage of services with complete proof artifacts
Re‑serve count per case
Time from serve to affidavit upload

Vendor, SLA, and security essentials

Local rules expertise in your venues across the USA and nearby cross‑border regions.
Coverage for every jurisdiction you practice in, with weekend and after‑hours options.
Clear SLAs: turnaround, attempts included, and escalation timing.
Proof standards: affidavit format, notarization when required, GPS and photo metadata.
Technology: APIs, webhooks, bulk import, and a portal for ad‑hoc jobs.
Licensing and insurance: certified process servers where required and proper coverage.
Security: TLS encryption, least‑necessary PII sharing, audit logs, retention rules, and a DPA with breach notice terms.

Avoid common pitfalls

Duplicate entry: create jobs directly from the matter as the source of truth.
Bad addresses: validate and geocode before the first attempt.
Missing proof: require affidavit and photo upload within a set window.
Jurisdiction missteps: embed rule checks that block disallowed methods for the venue.
Weak escalation: automate alerts for overdue or failed service.
Single‑vendor risk: keep a backup vendor network for coverage gaps.

Implementation checklist and timeline

Audit volume, timelines, costs, and failure points.
Set requirements for methods, SLAs, metrics, and security.
Evaluate vendors for tech capability and local compliance.
Choose integration path: API, middleware, or manual starter.
Map fields and build transformations.
Pilot with one vendor and a small matter set, then train staff and publish SOPs.
Roll out in phases and monitor KPIs for 30 to 90 days, then refine SLAs and rules.

Estimated time to go live:

Small firm using manual plus middleware: 2 to 4 weeks.
Mid‑size firm with API integration and one or two vendors: 6 to 12 weeks.
Enterprise with multiple vendors and custom middleware: 3 to 6 months.

Job template your team can reuse

Job Title: [CaseNumber] – Serve [PartyName]
Case Number and Court
Matter owner or responsible attorney
Recipient name, role, and contact
Address with city, state, zip, and country
Availability windows and access notes
Service type and number of attempts
Documents to serve as PDFs
Special instructions or safety notes
SLA due date and time
Billing code or cost center

FAQs

Can process serving be fully automated?

Job creation, status tracking, and proof capture can be automated to a high degree. The act of service remains human work and must follow local rules.

How do we handle service across multiple jurisdictions?

Use CMS rules to restrict methods by venue and partner with regional vendors who know local practices across the USA and nearby cross‑border regions.

What if the server cannot serve by the deadline?

Set escalation rules to reassign to a backup vendor, switch to an approved method if allowed, or schedule in‑house attempts.

Ready to streamline your workflow

If you want faster service, fewer re‑serves, and airtight proof in Florida and across the USA, integrate process serving directly into your CMS and partner with a vendor that meets court rules and tech standards.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc delivers compliant service, clear SLAs, and the tech your team expects. Visit https://www.proprocessservers.com/ or call (844) 530-0255 to start a pilot and see the difference on your next matter.

How Outsourcing Process Serving Saves Law Firms Time and Money

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:34:28 GMT

Handling service of process in-house might seem like the simplest, most controlled option for many law firms until you tally up search time, travel, staff hours, failed attempts, and affidavits.

Outsourcing process serving turns a time-consuming administrative burden into a predictable, per-transaction cost, speeds up case timelines, and frees attorneys and paralegals to focus on billable work. Here’s how outsourcing can save your firm both time and money, and how to choose the right provider.

Firms across the USA are rethinking how they allocate staff time. The shift to a trusted legal process server delivers measurable savings without sacrificing quality or control.

What Is Process Serving and Why It Matters

Process serving is the delivery of legal documents like complaints, summonses, subpoenas, and orders in a way that meets court rules. Proper proof of service keeps cases moving and helps avoid disputes over notice. When recipients are hard to locate, servers may use skip-tracing or targeted stakeouts to complete service.

Florida law sets clear requirements. Florida Statutes Chapter 48 governs service of process, including who may serve and how returns are completed. Section 48.21 outlines what must appear on the return, such as the date and time of service, the person served, and the manner of service. Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.070(j) sets a 120-day window to complete service after filing, subject to extensions for good cause. Vendors who live by these rules daily reduce the risk of rejections or contested service.

The Hidden Costs of In-House Process Serving

What looks like a simple task often carries hidden overhead. In-house serving typically means staff wages and benefits, vehicle costs, fuel, insurance, training, and time spent preparing affidavits and filing proofs. When volume dips, those fixed costs do not.

There is also the opportunity cost. If attorneys or paralegals spend 1.5 to 3 hours per serve on research, travel, attempts, logging, and affidavits, those are hours not spent on revenue-generating work. That tradeoff compounds across a docket.

How Outsourcing Saves Time and Money

Predictable costs: Convert fixed overhead into per-serve fees. No vehicles, insurance, or training on your books.
Preserved billable hours: If staff can bill at $150 per hour, avoiding 2 non-billable hours frees up $300 in potential revenue per serve.
Faster turnarounds: Established networks cover multiple counties and states, cutting lag on cross-jurisdiction serves.
Lower re-service rates: Professional servers use multi-time attempts, targeted windows, and skip-tracing to improve first-pass success.
Compliance built-in: Vendors trained on local rules, including Florida’s Chapter 48, reduce filing rejections and service challenges.
Technology lift: Portals, GPS-stamped attempts, electronic affidavits, and e-filing streamline updates and recordkeeping.
Scalability: From one-off serves to mass filings, you can flex capacity without hiring or reassigning staff.

Technology, Compliance, and Risk Reduction Benefits

Modern process server services offer real-time tracking, time-stamped notes, photos, and electronic proofs. These tools improve transparency for clients and give attorneys quick visibility into case status. They also simplify affidavit intake for courts and e-filing workflows.

Compliance is more than a checkbox. Florida’s rules specify who can serve process, including sheriffs, special process servers appointed by the sheriff, and certified process servers where circuit programs exist. Working with bonded and insured providers who document every attempt helps protect your record and reduces the risk of motions to quash service.

Real-World Cost Comparison

Every market differs, but the math often points in the same direction. Consider a typical serve where a paralegal handles research, travel, an attempt, and an affidavit.

In-house cost: Paralegal fully loaded cost $40 per hour. Time spent 2.5 hours equals $100. Add vehicle and admin overhead allocation of $30. Estimated total per attempt: $130. Multiple attempts drive up cost fast.
Outsourced cost: $90 flat per successful serve, or $60 per attempt with an average of 1.5 attempts equals about $90. Net savings around $40 per serve, not counting preserved billable time or reduced delays.

If your staff rate is higher or your case mix requires more attempts, outsourcing typically creates even greater savings. Faster service improves cash flow by shortening the path to default judgments, discovery, or settlement.

How to Choose a Process-Serving Vendor

Use this quick checklist when you evaluate providers serving the USA and surrounding areas, including Florida-specific requirements:

Bonded and insured. Licensed or appointed where required, including Florida’s special or certified process server programs.
Coverage across your counties and states, with a clear plan for rural or hard-to-reach addresses.
Transparent pricing: flat fees, attempt vs. success pricing, rush, travel, skip-tracing, stakeout, and filing fees.
Real-time tracking and GPS-stamped attempt notes, with photos where permitted.
Electronic affidavits and fast delivery of proofs that meet Florida Statutes 48.21 content requirements.
Turnaround times, definitions of attempt and completion, and clear rush options.
Technology integrations with your practice management or e-filing tools.
References from law firms with similar case profiles.
Service-level agreements, re-serve policies, and remedies for missed timelines.

Integration and Workflow Tips for Law Firms

Create a standardized intake form for each serve with deadlines, addresses, recipient descriptions, and any access constraints.
Use your vendor’s portal or API to push new serves directly from your case system and reduce manual entry.
Define rules on when to outsource vs. handle a simple local task in-house, and revisit those rules quarterly based on results.
Track metrics like average time to service, cost per completed serve, re-attempt rates, and contest rates, then review with your vendor.

Better Client Service

When service happens quickly and proofs arrive cleanly, cases progress with fewer surprises. Clients appreciate accurate timelines, clear status updates, and fewer delays at the courthouse.

Attorneys and paralegals can devote more attention to strategy, communication, and outcomes. That shift builds trust and strengthens your client relationships over time.

Ready to Make the Switch?

If you want predictable costs, faster turnarounds, and fewer admin headaches, outsourcing process serving is a proven way to boost law firm efficiency. Whether your matters span Florida, the broader USA, or surrounding areas, the right partner can scale with your docket and keep you compliant.

Talk with Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc for a cost estimate or to see GPS-tracked affidavits and real-time dashboards. Visit https://www.proprocessservers.com/ or call (844) 530-0255 . We’ll help you reduce legal overhead and keep your cases moving.

GPS-Backed Service of Process in Florida | Photos, Notes & Proof 2025

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:26:42 GMT

Using GPS Data, Time-Stamped Photos, and Detailed Notes to Defend Service Challenges

A bare-bones affidavit used to pass without much fuss. Today, judges expect more. When service is challenged, they want proof that feels concrete, not guesswork on a form.

For law firm staff who manage high-volume service, a bad challenge can derail a hearing, spike client stress, and burn hours that no one has. A single weak affidavit can mean a motion to quash, a reset, and a frustrated partner asking what went wrong.

That is where evidence-backed service of process comes in. GPS data, time-stamped photos, and detailed notes give you real proof behind every affidavit. Together, they protect the law firm, the client, and the case. Work with a tech-forward process server and you reduce risk, cut stress, and answer service questions with confidence instead of scrambling.

How GPS, Photos, and Notes Work Together to Protect Your Service

Think of every serve as a small story. The affidavit is the summary. GPS logs, photos, and notes are the supporting chapters that make the story believable to a judge.

Used together, these tools:

Back up your affidavit when a defendant fights service.
Cut down on motions to quash and hearings on service.
Give your litigators quick, concrete answers to court questions.

Instead of asking a process server, "Are you sure it was the right door," you can pull a map pin, a front-door photo, and notes that match the timeline in the docket. That kind of package not only supports service, it also tells the court that your firm takes service seriously.

GPS Location Data: Verifying the Exact Place of Service

GPS proof is simple but powerful. Each attempt logs:

Coordinates and a map pin
Date and time of the attempt
Address information matched to the job

When a defendant claims, "They served the wrong house," GPS data lets you show the court that the server was at the service address at the exact time listed in the affidavit.

This matters in Florida when you deal with gated communities, large apartment complexes, or mixed-use buildings. If there are similar addresses or multiple entrances, GPS logs help prove that the server was where they said they were, not just somewhere in the general area. When that data is tied to each attempt, it also helps prove diligence if you later need alternative service.

Time-Stamped Photos: Showing What the Server Saw

Time-stamped photos add a visual layer to GPS data. Typical photos include:

The front door or gate
Building or unit numbers
Mailboxes or entry panels
The person served when practical and lawful

Each photo carries a time stamp and metadata that match the service attempt. If a defendant says, "My property does not look like that," or "I was never there," your team can pull the photo that shows their door, their gate, or the setup at the time of service.

Professional process servers use photos with care. The goal is not a "gotcha" moment. It is respectful, privacy-aware documentation that supports the affidavit without creating new problems.

Detailed Service Notes: Filling in the Story a Judge Wants to Hear

Detailed notes turn a short affidavit into a narrative that a judge can trust. Strong notes usually cover:

Date and time of every attempt
Lighting and weather conditions
Who answered and what they said
Where papers were left and how
Descriptions of people or vehicles present
Any odd or evasive behavior

These details help defend against challenges to substitute or drop service, claims of avoidance, or complaints about late-night service. When a hearing is set on a motion to quash, those notes help the process server recall the event and testify clearly. Instead of "I do not remember," you get, "I was there at 7:14 p.m., it was raining, a woman who said she was his wife accepted service at the front door."

Using Evidence-Backed Service to Handle Common Service Challenges

Once you have GPS data, photos, and notes in place, common service fights become far easier to manage. Your team is no longer guessing or relying on vague memory. You are building responses from a clear record.

When Defendants Claim They Were Never Served

"I was never served" is the classic challenge. With evidence-backed service, you can respond with:

GPS logs that show the server at the service address at the stated time
Photos of the door, unit, or person served (when appropriate)
Notes that match a physical description and record the dialogue

This lets your attorney draft a strong affidavit in opposition. It also prepares the process server to testify with detail rather than general statements. In Florida courts, where judges see many disputes over service, that combination of digital proof and specific testimony often carries more weight than a bare affidavit alone.

Fighting Attacks on Substitute or Drop Service

Substitute service can invite attacks. Defendants argue that the person who accepted service was too young, did not live there, or had no connection to them. Businesses claim a receptionist or coworker was not authorized.

Detailed notes and photos help answer those claims. The record might show:

The name and stated relationship of the person who accepted service
Their estimated age and description
A photo of the residence or business entrance that matches the address
Notes that the person confirmed it was the defendant’s usual home or workplace

When a judge can see the entry door of the home or the storefront, and read notes that track the statutory language, it becomes easier to uphold substitute service under Florida law and in other states with similar rules.

Proving Diligent Efforts When Asking for Alternative Service

Courts want real proof of diligence before approving alternative or special service. Repeated "no answer" entries in a vague log are not enough.

Multiple GPS-stamped attempts, spread across different days and times, show real effort. Notes that record:

Closed or vacant businesses
Locked gates or guard refusals
Neighbors saying the defendant moved or is avoiding service

help you show that personal service is not reasonably possible. That gives judges a clear record to support orders for alternative service, such as posting, mail, or other methods allowed under Florida rules. Strong diligence records also cut down on resets and delays that frustrate clients.

Responding Fast When a Judge or Opposing Counsel Has Questions

When you have a full digital trail, questions about service stop being emergencies. If a judge asks, "How do we know this was the right apartment," your team can pull a photo of the door with the unit number, the GPS log, and the notes that describe the visit.

Examples your staff might handle in minutes:

Emailing a photo to show the correct suite in a multi-tenant office
Printing a list of attempts with dates, times, and GPS stamps
Sharing notes that explain why service happened at a certain hour

This saves paralegals from last-minute phone calls and searching for servers who are out in the field. It also reduces the chance that a hearing gets sidetracked over basic service questions.

What to Look For When Choosing a Tech-Forward Process Server

Knowing what good proof looks like makes it easier to pick the right vendor. You do not need to manage the tech yourself. You just need a process server who already builds this level of evidence into every job.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., based in Fort Lauderdale, is one example of a provider that uses this model across Florida and nationwide.

Essential Proof-of-Service Features Your Vendor Should Provide

When you review a process server, look for:

Automatic GPS capture on every attempt, not just on the final serve
Time-stamped photos tied to each attempt and stored with the job
Detailed notes that cover attempts, contacts, and any unusual facts
Affidavits that line up with the GPS, photos, and notes

You also want Florida rules compliance, professional behavior in the field, and secure handling of data and images. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. uses trained servers, structured documentation, and internal checks so the proof they provide backs up what appears in your pleadings.

Why a 24/7 Online Portal and Status Updates Make Your Job Easier

Access matters as much as data. A secure, 24/7 portal lets your staff:

Track real-time status of each serve
Download affidavits as soon as they are ready
View photos and GPS data without calling the field

This is especially helpful for high-volume, rush, and same-day service. With options for routine, rush, and same-day priority, plus unlimited attempts per address until efforts are exhausted, you can show diligence without constant follow-up. For busy litigation teams, that mix of transparency and persistence takes one more headache off the to-do list.

Conclusion

Service challenges are not going away, but your exposure can drop when every serve comes with GPS data, time-stamped photos, and detailed notes . Together, they turn a simple affidavit of service into a package of proof that judges respect and defendants struggle to shake.

You do not need to build that system inside your firm. You just need a process server that already works this way, like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , with evidence-backed service across Florida and nationwide.

Take a few minutes to review your current vendors. Ask if they provide GPS logs, photos, and detailed notes on every job. If they do not, it may be time to move your service of process to a provider that protects your record as carefully as you protect your clients.

Skip Tracing Vanishing Defendants: Protect Florida Law Firm Cases in 2025

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:10:27 GMT

Someone signs a loan, promises support, or gets sued, then seems to disappear. Mail comes back. Phones are disconnected. Neighbors say, “They moved out at night.”

For collection, foreclosure, and family law cases, that missing person can bring everything to a stop. You cannot serve papers, you cannot move hearings, and your client starts asking hard questions.

This is where skip tracing comes in. In plain terms, skip tracing is the process of finding people who are hard to locate so you can serve them, enforce judgments, or move a case forward.

This article looks at how Florida and U.S. law firms can use skip tracing, with support from a professional partner like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , to keep cases moving and improve real results for clients.

What Is Skip Tracing and Why Do Vanishing Defendants Matter to Your Law Firm?

Skip tracing is not just a fancy word for “Googling someone.” For legal cases, it is a focused effort to track down people who have left an address, changed jobs, or are actively avoiding contact, so your team can serve them and enforce court orders.

When a defendant vanishes, problems pile up. Your staff spends time reissuing summonses and calling old numbers. Process servers drive to bad addresses. Hearings get reset. Clients feel like the system is broken and start to doubt your strategy.

Missing parties also raise hard questions about cost. Every bad address means more service fees and more staff time. For contingency work, like many collection matters, delay also hurts the law firm’s bottom line.

In states like Florida, service of process is not a small detail. Courts need solid proof that a party was served before granting a judgment, ordering a foreclosure sale, or setting support. If you cannot locate the person, you may be stuck with substitute or publication service that can invite later challenges.

Skip tracing gives you a structured way to locate people and document your efforts, which protects your case and your client relationship.

Plain-English definition of skip tracing for legal cases

In simple terms, skip tracing is research plus investigation aimed at one goal: find where someone is now. It mixes public records, private databases, online searches, and field work to build a current picture of a person’s location and sometimes their assets.

Imagine a debtor who quits a job, breaks a lease, and starts working under the table to avoid garnishment. A skilled skip tracer looks at past addresses, former employers, utility records, social media, and other legal data sources. Bit by bit, they piece together where that person sleeps, where they work, and how they might be getting paid.

For law firms, good skip tracing produces more than a hunch. It delivers a current service address, work address, or contact information that supports personal service, bank searches, or post-judgment remedies. A firm like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. can then combine that data with trained servers, GPS logs, and photos to show exactly what was done and when.

How missing defendants stall collections, foreclosures, and family law cases

When a defendant cannot be found, the brakes slam on your case. Servers keep going to the same bad address. Clerks wait for returns. Judges tell you to try again. Every step takes time and chips away at client patience.

In a collection case, a debtor might leave town right after you get a judgment. Without a solid address or employer, wage garnishment and bank levies sit on the shelf. Your client still sees unpaid invoices, even though they “won” in court.

In a foreclosure, borrowers often abandon property, leave the state, or stay hidden at a new address. Sloppy or rushed service can expose the case to later attacks, which can undo a sale or settlement.

In family law, a parent might stop paying support and move in with a new partner, leaving no forwarding address. Or a spouse might dodge a divorce or custody petition for months. The human toll is heavy; children miss support, parents feel stuck, and emotions run hot while the court waits for proper service.

How Skip Tracing Strengthens Collection, Foreclosure, and Family Law Cases

Skip tracing turns random attempts into a targeted plan. Good information lets process servers go to the right doors, at the right times, with strong documentation that stands up in court.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. fits into this work as both a skip tracing provider and a process serving team. That means your firm can send one assignment and get research, service attempts, GPS data, photos, and affidavits in a single organized file.

Collections: Turning unpaid judgments into real recoveries

Many collection files start hot, then cool once the debtor moves or changes jobs. Phone numbers stop working. Mail comes back. Staff chases leads that are already stale.

Skip tracing helps a collections team “refresh” the file. A thorough search can reveal:

A new home or mailing address
A new employer for wage garnishment
Updated phone and email for settlement talks

When paired with other lawful searches, such as bank and blockchain account checks, this picture supports stronger post-judgment action. You are no longer guessing which bank to serve or where to send a writ.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers skip tracing alongside service of process, so once a new address or employer is found, trained servers can act quickly. Their unlimited attempts per address, with GPS and time-stamped photos, give you cleaner records for later challenges and better odds of actual recovery.

Foreclosure: Finding borrowers and securing clean service of process

Defaulting borrowers often go off the radar. They might rent out the property, move in with family, or leave the state without notice. Letters from the lender end up ignored or bounced.

Skip tracing in foreclosure work focuses on locating the true residence or reliable mailing address of the borrower and any other parties you must name. That can include:

Out-of-state addresses where the borrower now lives
Work locations where personal service may succeed
Alternative addresses such as relatives or mailing services

Accurate addresses reduce the need to rely on substitute or publication service, which can later be attacked as “not good enough.” Good skip tracing supports strong personal service first, then gives a clear record of reasonable efforts if alternate service becomes necessary.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. backs this up with GPS-tagged attempts, photos of doors and buildings, and detailed time logs. These details show the court that your client made careful, good-faith attempts at all known locations, which helps protect judgments and foreclosure sales.

Family law: Locating parents and spouses for support, custody, and divorce

Family law clients live with the outcome of a case every day, so delay feels personal. When the other parent or spouse disappears, frustration grows fast.

Skip tracing helps with common family law problems like:

A parent who stops paying child support and moves without notice
A spouse who dodges a divorce petition to stall property division
A parent who hides a new address during a custody dispute

By locating current residential and work addresses, a skilled skip tracer gives your process servers the best chance to complete service. That way, hearings go forward, orders are entered, and your client can finally move on with life.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. understands the sensitive nature of these cases. Their investigators and servers focus on discreet, lawful information gathering, then provide clear updates through email and a 24/7 online portal so you can keep clients informed without putting them at risk.

Best Practices for Law Firms Using Skip Tracing Services

Skip tracing works best when the law firm and the investigation team act as true partners. A few smart habits can raise your hit rate and shorten timelines.

Send complete, accurate case data to your skip tracing partner

Good skip tracing starts with good intake. The more you share, the faster your provider can move.

Helpful details include:

Full legal name, plus nicknames or maiden names
Date of birth and Social Security number, if available
Last known home and work addresses
All phone numbers and email addresses on file
Known employers and unions
Social media profiles or usernames
Prior search results or old reports

Clean data cuts down on false matches and wrong addresses. Use secure portals or encrypted email when sending sensitive information. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers a 24/7 portal where you can upload files, check case status, and download affidavits and invoices at any time.

Choose a legal-focused skip tracing and process serving partner

Not all search tools are built for legal work. A random people-search site will not give you affidavits, GPS records, or proof that service followed state rules.

When picking a partner, look for:

Trained process servers who understand state and federal rules
Written policies on data use and confidentiality
Detailed affidavits with dates, times, and locations
GPS and photo proof for each attempt
Status updates by email and through an online portal
Routine, rush, and same-day options with unlimited attempts per address

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., based in Fort Lauderdale, brings decades of experience with Florida rules and offers nationwide reach. That mix of local knowledge and broad coverage helps law firms handle both neighborhood disputes and multi-state enforcement from one trusted source.

Conclusion

Vanishing defendants create stress, delay, and risk for you and your clients, but they do not have to control the outcome. With skilled skip tracing and strong process serving, collection, foreclosure, and family law cases can keep moving even when parties try to hide.

Accurate location data leads to faster service, cleaner records, and better enforcement of judgments and orders. It also shows clients that you have a clear plan when problems arise, not just more motions and continuances.

If your firm, business, or family in Florida is facing a missing defendant or debtor, reach out to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. for help with skip tracing, service of process, background checks, and related investigations. A focused legal support partner can help you turn stalled files into real results.

Court-Ready PI Support for Florida Law Firms

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:02:56 GMT

Private Investigation Support for Florida Law Firms in Court

When a case is on the line, Florida law firms need facts they can prove, not just stories they have heard. That is where private investigation support comes in, giving your team documented evidence that actually holds up in court. Instead of chasing rumors, you get clear, sourced information you can put in a motion, a deposition, or in front of a jury.

In simple terms, PI support means finding hard-to-locate witnesses, running tight background checks, digging into social media, and documenting what you find in a way judges respect. It turns raw info into usable exhibits, timelines, and affidavits. Your team spends less time tracking people down and more time building strategy.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. works with law firms across Florida and nationwide, so the focus is always on real-world, court-ready work product. From witness locates to social media captures, everything is built to save you time and reduce risk. If you want cleaner files, better intel, and fewer surprises at hearing, this kind of support is hard to beat.

Why Law Firms Need Private Investigation Support That Stands Up in Court

Judges and juries do not rule on hunches. They rule on evidence . If a fact is not documented, supported, and legal, it may as well not exist when you walk into court.

Strong private investigation support turns loose information into proof you can trust in front of a judge, mediator, or jury. That applies across civil, family, criminal, and business cases. When the work is done right, you get cleaner files, stronger motions, and fewer surprises at trial.

From "We Think" to "We Can Prove It": How PIs Strengthen Your Case Theory

Every case starts with a story. Your client tells you what happened, you build a theory, and you start to spot issues and defenses. The problem is simple: your theory is only as strong as the evidence behind it.

This is where early private investigation work pays off. Instead of waiting for discovery to close, a good PI team starts testing your theory right away.

Here is how that looks in real cases:

Witness statements : A PI can find and interview witnesses before memories fade. They can lock in details with written or recorded statements, so you are not surprised later when someone changes their story.
Background facts : Investigators run background checks, asset searches, and address histories to confirm who is who, who owns what, and whether people are being honest about their past.
Online activity : Social media captures, posts, photos, and comments can support or destroy a claim. Properly collected screenshots and archives give you authentic, time-stamped evidence instead of shaky printouts.

In a civil case , this might mean confirming a slip-and-fall timeline with video, social media, and prior claims history. In a family case , it might mean documenting a co-parent's actual work schedule, social media activity, or living conditions to support a timesharing request.

In a criminal matter , defense counsel may use a PI to locate witnesses the police missed, pull surveillance, or dig into prior incidents that suggest bias or misidentification. In business disputes , investigators can verify business relationships, track down shell entities, or find proof of competing activity that breaches a contract.

The payoff for early PI work is real:

Better strategy : When you know what you can prove, you stop guessing about which theory to chase.
More realistic settlement talks : If you hold strong, documented evidence, the other side sees it and adjusts. If your own theory has holes, you see that early and price the case honestly.
Stronger trial prep : You walk into trial with witnesses located, backgrounds vetted, and exhibits ready. You are not scrambling the night before to find a missing person or confirm a key detail.

Quality matters. Evidence has to be collected legally , with clean chains of custody and accurate, consistent reporting. That is the difference between a judge admitting your exhibit or striking it. Florida law firms that work with experienced investigators get that extra safety layer, so what you present in court can survive cross-examination, not just look interesting in the file.

Working With a Florida Legal Support Team vs a One Person Investigator

A solo PI can be skilled, but busy law firms often need more than one person with a notebook and a phone. When you are juggling dozens or hundreds of active files, you need coverage, consistency, and speed you can count on.

That is where a full-service legal support firm like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. stands apart.

Here are some key differences that matter in daily practice:

Team vs one person : A legal support team has trained staff focused on service of process, skip tracing, background checks, and investigations. Work continues even if one investigator is on the road, in court, or unavailable.
Statewide and nationwide reach : With statewide Florida coverage and national contacts, your out-of-county or out-of-state serve does not turn into a week of phone calls. One request, one vendor, wider reach.
24/7 client portal : Instead of chasing updates by email or text, you log in and see status, attempts, affidavits, and invoices in one place. That keeps partners, associates, and staff on the same page.
Documented attempts and activity : Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. backs up service and field work with GPS data, time-stamped photos, and detailed notes. That creates a clear trail you can put in front of a judge if service is challenged or a party claims ignorance.
Clear, court-ready reporting : You get structured reports written with legal use in mind. That means clear timelines, dates, locations, and sources, not vague summaries that raise more questions than they answer.
Flexible speed options : Busy dockets and last-minute hearings are normal. With routine, rush, and same-day options, you can match the speed of service or investigation to the urgency of the case.

For a Florida law firm, this kind of support changes how the office runs:

Partners see fewer delays because people and documents are found faster.
Associates can rely on consistent report formats across cases.
Staff has one main point of contact for process serving, skip tracing, and investigative work, instead of juggling a list of solo PIs.

Most important, a full-service team helps you avoid ugly surprises . When service attempts are logged and photographed, it is easier to show due diligence. When investigations are handled by trained professionals who understand legal standards, you cut the risk of tainted evidence that falls apart at hearing.

In short, a strong Florida legal support team lets your firm focus on law and advocacy, while they handle the legwork that turns facts into proof that actually stands up in court.

Witness Locate Services for Law Firms: Finding the People Who Decide Your Case

A case can rise or fall on one person. A witness who saw the crash. A former spouse who will not answer the phone. A debtor who keeps moving apartments. Witness locate services are about one thing: finding those people so you can serve them, depose them, or put them on the stand.

For Florida law firms, a solid locate can move a file from stuck to active. It supports litigation, family law, personal injury, collections, and judgment enforcement, because you cannot move any of those forward if you cannot find the right person. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. focuses on accurate, documented locates so you are not guessing where someone might be living or working.

How Investigators Track Down Hard to Find Witnesses and Defendants

Skip tracing sounds technical, but at its core it is just smart people search with better tools and more persistence than the average person has time for. A witness locate is a focused skip trace done for legal use, with the goal of finding a real, current address or contact point you can rely on in court.

Investigators start by pulling from a wide set of data sources, then they use field work to confirm what is real and what is just old information.

Common tools include:

Databases and public records : Professional investigators use licensed databases that combine credit header data, utilities, voter records, change-of-address filings, professional licenses, and more. This pulls up address history, name variations, and related people.
Address and phone history : By looking at where someone has lived over time, which numbers are active, and when those records last updated, an investigator can tell if a lead is fresh or stale.
Emails and online presence : Emails linked to sign-ups, social media accounts, or marketplaces often point to cities, employers, and even current photos. That helps confirm if the person is still in Florida or moved out of state.
Relatives and associates : Many people use a parent’s home, a sibling’s house, or a partner’s apartment as a mailing or backup address. Tracing those relatives can reveal a new location when the main subject is hiding.

The real edge comes when digital work is paired with field investigation :

Street-level checks at likely addresses
Door knocks with low-key questioning of neighbors and building staff
Observation to see who comes and goes from the property
Verification with property managers or on-site security, when appropriate

That mix of online work and in-person checks separates a guess from a verified locate. For example, a database might say a hit-and-run defendant lives at a Miami apartment. The investigator goes out, speaks with a neighbor, confirms the defendant’s car is still there on several days, and takes discreet, time-stamped photos of the unit entry. Now you have a real address that you can use for service or a subpoena.

A strong locate is not only about finding an address. It is about giving you confidence that the person really lives or works there today, not five years ago.

Turning a Locate Into Court Ready Service of Process

Locating the person is step one. Step two is turning that address into proof that you served them correctly or, if they are dodging, that you made diligent attempts . That is where the locate and service of process come together.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. handles both parts, so the handoff is tight. Once a locate is confirmed, their trained process servers go to work with a focus on evidence, not just delivery.

They support service with:

GPS data at each attempt, so you can show the court exactly where the server was
Time-stamped photos of the location, door, gate, mailbox, or posted service when allowed by law
Detailed attempt notes , including times of day, lights on or off, cars in the driveway, and any contact with occupants or neighbors
Unlimited attempts per address until efforts are exhausted, instead of a quick three tries and done

This level of documentation helps in two main ways:

Clean service for cooperative parties and witnesses

In practice, that means you can walk into a motion hearing or default judgment request and hand the court a service record that looks professional and reliable. The locate becomes the base, and the service history builds a clear picture on top of it.

Common Witness Locate Use Cases for Florida Law Firms

Witness locates are not just for one type of case. Almost every practice area hits a file where someone disappears or dodges contact. Quick, documented locates help you keep control of timelines instead of reacting to last-minute crises.

Some of the most common use cases for Florida firms include:

Personal injury witnesses : The person who saw the slip-and-fall, the other driver who stopped to help, or a former co-worker who knows about unsafe conditions. Finding them early means you can secure statements and be ready before mediation or trial.
Hit-and-run drivers : Plates, partial names, or old addresses often lead nowhere when handled casually. A focused skip trace, along with field work, can track down the actual driver or registered owner so you can serve the complaint or subpoena.
Ex-employees in employment cases : Wrongful termination, harassment, and wage cases often depend on former co-workers who left the company years ago. Locating them lets you get honest testimony that HR may not have recorded.
Former spouses and co-parents in family law : Support, custody, and modification cases stall when a party moves, changes jobs, or stops answering calls. A witness locate can uncover new addresses, employers, or out-of-state moves so you can serve motions, subpoenas, or income withholding orders.
Judgment debtors and collections targets : A judgment is only as good as your ability to find the debtor. Locates help you find where they live, where they work, and where they might hold assets, so you can serve post-judgment discovery or garnishment paperwork.
Property owners in real estate disputes : Quiet title actions, code enforcement, HOA disputes, and boundary fights often involve owners who live out of state, use mailing addresses only, or left years ago. Locates help tie the right person to the right parcel so notice is proper.
People who moved out of state : Florida cases frequently involve parties who relocate for work, school, or family. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. can track those parties across state lines and coordinate service through their network, so your Florida matter does not stall.

Fast, accurate locates protect deadlines . Statutes of limitation, service deadlines, and trial orders do not pause while you look for someone. When you can get a good address quickly, you keep service, discovery, and hearings on schedule instead of asking for extensions and continuances.

In short, witness locate services help you answer a simple question: where is the person who can move this case forward? Once you have that answer, every other part of your strategy gets easier.

Background Checks for Court: What Law Firms Really Need to Know

When a case is active, a background check is not just a quick look-up. For Florida law firms, it is a way to test stories, find money, and spot landmines before the other side points them out in court.

A basic online search might help you learn a bit about someone. A professional, legal-friendly background investigation gives you documented facts you can explain to a judge, use in negotiations, and rely on under cross-examination. That difference matters when you are vetting new clients, assessing risk, or building a strategy around collection and credibility.

Key Background Report Items That Can Help or Hurt a Case

A structured background report pulls together many small details that, when combined, tell a clear story. Law firms use these facts to check credibility, find pressure points, and uncover assets or patterns of behavior.

Here are the core pieces that matter most.

Criminal records

Criminal history can affect credibility, damages, and even jury perception. A good background check looks at local, state, and federal levels for:

Arrests and convictions
Probation or supervision history
Open warrants or pending cases

You might use this to test if a witness is honest about having a “clean record” or to predict how a defendant will look in front of a jury.

Civil lawsuits and judgments

Prior lawsuits often reveal repeat behavior. For example:

A personal injury plaintiff with many similar claims
A contractor sued over the same type of breach
A debtor with multiple unpaid judgments

This helps you spot patterns, test claimed hardships, and plan discovery around issues the other side may not want to talk about.

Liens and bankruptcies

Tax liens, mechanic’s liens, and personal or business bankruptcies tell you a lot about pressure and collectability. If you are pricing a contingency case or planning post-judgment action, this data helps you decide:

Is this party collectible or judgment-proof for now
Are there other creditors already ahead of your client

Property and vehicle records

Real estate and vehicles often sit at the center of asset and family disputes. Property and title checks can show:

Hidden or undervalued assets
Transfers to relatives or shell entities
Vehicles in someone else’s name but used daily by your target

These details help support fraudulent transfer claims, support orders, or enforcement plans.

Business registrations and professional licenses

Corporate filings and licensing records connect people to companies and income streams. They can reveal:

Undisclosed business ownership
Side companies competing with an employer
Professional licenses that suggest higher earning capacity

This is powerful in non-compete cases, support modification, and commercial disputes.

Known addresses and address history

Address history is key for skip tracing, service, and testing stories. You can compare claimed residence or hardship to:

Where the person actually lived over time
How often they move
Whether they are tied to high-value neighborhoods

Address links can also lead you to relatives, roommates, or business partners who matter to your case.

Alias names and name variations

Married names, maiden names, nicknames, and spelling changes can hide records. A thorough background check ties:

Alternate spellings
Prior legal names
Known “also known as” entries

This keeps you from missing a lawsuit, arrest, or property record that sits under a different version of the same person.

When an investigator connects all these points, you get a clearer picture you can use to test sworn statements, shape deposition questions, and plan collection.

Legally Sound Background Checks vs DIY Online Searches

Many lawyers and staff run quick online searches out of habit. Those tools have their place, but they are not the same as a court-ready background investigation .

DIY online searches tend to:

Pull from shallow or outdated data
Miss records under prior names or in other states
Mix people with similar names, creating false positives
Provide no clear source or method you can explain in court

They are fine for a quick sense of who you are dealing with. They are risky if you rely on them to impeach someone, price a case, or advise a client.

Professional, legal-aware background checks focus on:

Data accuracy : Using licensed databases, direct court records, and public agencies that update often.
Verification : Cross-checking key hits, like a felony or big judgment, before reporting them to you.
Context : Flagging records that belong to someone else with a similar name or birth date, so you do not accuse the wrong person.
Privacy and FCRA issues : Knowing when a report touches the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumer rights, or privacy rules, which is especially important if employment or credit decisions are involved.
Court use : Structuring findings in a way a PI or legal support firm can explain under oath if a judge asks where the data came from and how it was obtained.

A legal support firm like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. understands that every line in a report might be Exhibit A one day. Reports are built with sources noted, dates clear, and speculation avoided, so you are not stuck defending a mystery hit from a free website.

How Florida Law Firms Use Background Intelligence in Strategy and Negotiation

Background intelligence is most valuable when it feeds directly into strategy. Florida law firms use these reports at several key points in a case.

1. Vetting new clients in high-risk matters

Before you invest time and money, you want to know:

Does this client have a history of similar claims
Are they telling the truth about past lawsuits or criminal issues
Do they have assets or insurance that make the case worth taking

A solid background check reduces surprises and helps you set expectations from day one.

2. Assessing if a party is collectible

In personal injury, collections, and commercial cases, collectability drives real value. By checking property, vehicles, business ties, liens, and bankruptcies, you can decide:

Should we push this case to verdict or focus on early resolution
Does a default judgment make sense if there is nothing to reach
Are there hidden or overlooked assets worth chasing

3. Spotting patterns of similar lawsuits or behavior

A history of similar claims or disputes might suggest:

A pattern of fraud or staged events
A company with a history of the same safety issue
A landlord or contractor who never fixes known problems

That pattern can guide targeted discovery, inform expert questions, and strengthen your settlement posture.

4. Testing witnesses and parties who claim a clean record

When someone on the stand says “I have never been arrested” or “I have never been sued,” you want to know if that is true. Background findings help you:

Impeach with certified records when the story does not match
Prepare for cross of an opposing witness with a shaky past
Protect your own witness by knowing their weak spots in advance

5. Uncovering business ties that shift negotiation

Business registrations, corporate roles, and licensing records can reveal:

Undisclosed income streams for support and alimony cases
Side companies the other side claims “do not really exist”
Relationships between parties that explain bias or collusion

Good intel can change the tone of negotiation. When the other side realizes you know about the extra property, the hidden LLC, or the prior lawsuit, they tend to become more realistic.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. supports that shift by giving you clean, organized background intel you can turn into discovery requests, focused depositions, and stronger settlement terms.

Social Media and Online Intel That Holds Up in Court

Social media and the open web can either support your case or wreck it. The difference often comes down to how the information is found, captured, and explained in a courtroom.

A good Florida PI team does not just scroll a feed and print a few posts. They follow a consistent method, document every step, and collect context so a judge can see what was posted, when, by whom, and in what setting. That is what turns casual online content into usable evidence.

What Investigators Look For on Social Media and the Open Web

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. starts broad, then focuses on what actually matters to the claims and defenses. The goal is to connect online behavior with real-world facts in your case.

Most searches cover:

Major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn
Forums and niche sites like Reddit, hobby forums, and community boards
Business and review sites like Google Reviews, Yelp, and employer review sites
Open web content such as personal blogs, business websites, and local news articles

From there, investigators look for patterns, timing, and conflicts with what the person says in sworn statements.

Common examples that often matter in Florida cases:

Injury claims vs physical activity
Heavy lifting at the gym
Jet ski rides in the Keys
Moving furniture for a friend
Work status vs claimed disability or unemployment

Even if the post is later deleted, a timely, well-documented capture can give your case a different angle. The PI is not just looking for a “gotcha” post. They are building a timeline that ties the online trail to your case theory.

Collecting Social Media Evidence the Right Way, So It Is Admissible

Finding a bad post is the easy part. Collecting it in a way that survives a motion to strike is the real test. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. treats every capture like it may end up as an exhibit.

Key best practices include:

1. Clear, date-stamped screenshots and full-page captures

PIs do not just crop a tiny square of text. They:

Capture full pages that show the post, profile name, date, and visible comments
Include the device clock or on-screen timestamp when helpful
Use tools that record the date and time the capture was taken

This helps show that the image has not been altered and that it reflects what was visible at that moment.

2. Recording URLs, usernames, and profile details

For each key item, the investigator notes:

Exact URL of the post or profile
Display name and handle or username
Any profile photo or bio text that helps link the account to the person

That way, if the content is later changed or deleted, you can still tie the capture to a real account that belonged to the party or witness.

3. Logging time, method, and device used

A proper social media report includes:

The date and time of each search and capture
The device or software used for the capture
Whether the content was viewed while logged out or from a known account

This creates a basic chain of custody. If the investigator testifies, they can walk the court through exactly how they saw and saved each post.

4. Avoiding fake accounts and unlawful access

Shortcuts can ruin otherwise strong evidence. Ethical investigators in Florida:

Do not send fake friend requests or pretend to be someone else
Do not try to bypass passwords, privacy settings, or hacked accounts
Do not pay for stolen or scraped data that violates platform rules or law

Instead, they stick to open-source intelligence and information available without deception or unauthorized access. That protects both the evidence and your case from claims of invasion of privacy, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act issues, or bar complaints.

5. Respecting Florida and federal privacy and evidence rules

A professional firm knows:

What can be collected from public sources
How to avoid ex parte contact rules and ethical traps
How to document methods so a judge can follow the steps

Their reports are written with authenticity and relevance in mind. The goal is to give you exhibits that do not just make good reading, but also meet evidentiary standards for reliability and fairness.

Using Online Intel to Prepare Depositions, Cross, and Mediation

Once social media and online intel are captured the right way, the real value shows up in your prep work. Online records help you refine questions, anticipate answers, and test the strength of claims before you walk into the room.

Here is how Florida firms often use this kind of intel:

1. Sharper deposition outlines

Social media posts turn vague issues into targeted questions. For example:

Injury case:

When you have posts in front of you, you can pin down dates, places, and activities with more detail and less guesswork.

2. Catching inconsistent stories early

Online timelines often clash with written discovery or client statements. Investigators give you a clear outline of:

When key posts were made
Where the person said they were
Who was tagged or mentioned

You can then compare that to interrogatory answers, medical records, or payroll records. If someone claims they were bedridden but posts about club nights that same week, you can confront that gap with confidence.

3. Testing damages and hardship claims

In injury, support, and collections cases, social media can expose patterns:

Frequent travel while claiming no money for support
Home renovation or boat purchases while seeking debt forgiveness
Daily gym check-ins after an alleged disabling injury

You do not rely only on the posts, but they help you decide where to dig deeper with subpoenas, records requests, or surveillance.

4. Strengthening your mediation position

Mediation often turns on who seems more prepared and credible. When you walk in with organized social media exhibits, you can:

Share key posts with the mediator
Explain how they conflict with the other side’s story
Signal that you are ready to take these issues to trial

That can push the other side toward more realistic numbers. It also helps your client understand their own risk when there is harmful online content about them.

5. Supporting, not replacing, other evidence

Online intel is a tool , not a full case. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. uses it to point you toward other proof, such as:

Business records that match online bragging about deals
Medical records that line up with activity levels in posts
Bank and blockchain searches that tie to lifestyle shown online

When social media, records, and witness statements all line up, your case theme feels stronger and more believable. When they do not line up, you know exactly where to press.

Choosing the Right Private Investigation Partner for Your Law Firm

The PI partner you choose reflects directly on your firm. If they miss deadlines, cut corners, or send sloppy reports, judges and clients will blame you, not them. The right legal-focused investigation team does the opposite. They protect your reputation, tighten your cases, and save your staff from constant follow-up.

You can think of it as building a trusted extension of your litigation team. Here is what to look for, and how Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. models those standards.

Must Have Qualities in a Legal Focused Investigation Firm

A good PI firm is not just good at “finding people.” It understands how Florida law firms work, what courts expect, and how to support your practice without creating new problems.

Here is a simple checklist you can use when you vet a PI or legal support team.

1. Proper licensing and insurance

You should never guess on this part.

The firm and its investigators must hold current Florida PI licenses .
Process servers should be appointed or certified where required.
The company should carry errors and omissions and general liability insurance .

Ask for proof. A professional firm will provide it without hesitation. This protects your cases if something goes wrong in the field.

2. Real knowledge of civil procedure and court rules

A PI who knows how to follow someone but ignores service rules can wreck a case.

Look for a team that:

Understands Florida civil procedure , especially on service of process and affidavits.
Knows when you can use substitute or posted service and when you cannot.
Writes reports with deadlines and hearings in mind.

You want investigators who speak the same language as your litigators and staff.

3. Florida coverage with a nationwide reach

Most firms handle matters that jump counties or cross state lines. Your PI partner should be ready for that.

Ask about:

Statewide Florida coverage , including rural and hard-to-reach areas.
A nationwide network for out-of-state service and field work.
One main contact who coordinates everything for you.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. is based in Fort Lauderdale but works cases across Florida and into other states through trusted contacts. That saves you from chasing three different vendors when a file moves.

4. Comfort working with attorneys and paralegals

The best legal support firms feel like part of your office.

You want a team that:

Knows how law firm workflows operate.
Takes clear instructions from attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants .
Answers calls and emails in plain language, without drama.
Understands that your staff needs quick, direct answers , not long stories.

If they bristle at questions or seem annoyed by procedure, they are not the right fit for a busy practice.

5. Strong confidentiality and data security

Your PI partner sees client names, strategy, and sometimes sensitive records. Treat them like you would any other key vendor that touches protected information.

Confirm that they:

Keep files on secure systems , not in random email threads.
Limit access to case data to staff who actually need it.
Understand attorney-client and work-product concerns.
Have a plan for handling sensitive items like medical or financial records.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. backs this up with a secure 24/7 client portal, so your staff is not sending confidential affidavits around on shared email chains.

6. Clear, written, court-ready reports

If you cannot hand the PI report to a judge or attach it to a motion, it is not doing you much good.

Look for:

Chronological reporting that tells a simple story: what was done, when, and where.
Dates, times, addresses, and sources spelled out, not implied.
No guesswork or wild opinions. Just facts, observations, and supporting details.
Service affidavits that match what Florida courts expect.

This saves you time when you draft motions, oppose service challenges, or prep for hearings.

7. One team for process service, skip tracing, backgrounds, and investigations

Using four different vendors creates extra work and more room for mistakes. A one-stop legal support firm keeps things tight.

An ideal partner can handle, under one roof:

Service of process
Skip tracing and witness locates
Background checks and asset checks
Private investigations and field work

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. was built around this model. You submit a file once, then they can move from background to locate to service and follow-up investigation without you constantly re-explaining the case.

If a PI firm ticks all of these boxes, it will protect both your cases and your firm’s name.

How Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. Supports Busy Law Firms

Once you know what a good partner looks like, it helps to see how that looks in daily practice. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. has shaped its services around how real Florida firms actually work, not how vendors wish they worked.

Here are the features that matter most when your team is juggling dozens of active cases.

Trained, professional process servers

The company uses trained servers , not random contractors who moonlight on the side. Servers understand:

Florida service rules
Safety and professionalism in the field
How to document attempts so a judge can follow the record

That reduces bad service, sloppy notes, and embarrassing moments in court.

GPS and photo proof of service attempts

Every attempt tells a story, and they back that story with data:

GPS coordinates show where the server was for each attempt.
Time-stamped photos of the door, gate, or property support the affidavit.
Detailed attempt notes explain what the server saw and did.

If service is challenged, you have real proof, not just “we went there a few times.”

Email status updates so you are not chasing answers

No one in a law office has time to call and ask, “Any update on that serve?” over and over.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.:

Sends email status updates when attempts are made.
Flags problems early, such as a bad address or hostile subject.
Confirms service promptly with draft affidavits.

Your staff can drop updates straight into the file or case management system.

24/7 online portal for files, status, and invoices

The client portal is a big time-saver for busy teams. From a single login, you can:

Upload new service, skip trace, or investigation requests.
Track real-time status and see recent attempts.
Download affidavits, reports, and photos .
View and pay invoices without digging through old emails.

This keeps partners, associates, and staff aligned. Everyone sees the same information, even if they are working from home or different offices.

Routine and rush options that match your deadlines

Court calendars do not all move at the same speed. Some serves can go routine. Others need to be rushed because a hearing is set or a statute is close.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers:

Routine service for standard timelines.
Rush service when you need fast movement.
Same-day priority in many areas, when the clock is really tight.
Unlimited attempts per address until efforts are exhausted, instead of a quick three-try cap.

You pick the speed, based on the case, then they handle the field work with that urgency in mind.

Decades of experience from Fort Lauderdale, serving Florida and beyond

The company has been doing this work for decades from its base in Fort Lauderdale. Over time, that experience has turned into:

A deep understanding of local courts and habits , from South Florida to the Panhandle.
A strong network across Florida and other states , so out-of-area service is not a headache.
Internal systems built around how law firms actually operate: repeat matters, ongoing clients, and fast-moving dockets.

That history matters when things get messy, for example a hostile serve, strange address, or out-of-state defendant. Your PI partner has probably seen something like it before.

How this setup helps your team focus on higher-value work

When a PI and process service firm runs this way, your office feels the difference:

Paralegals spend less time chasing updates and more time on pleadings and discovery.
Associates stop worrying if service was really done right and can focus on strategy and hearings .
Partners see fewer surprises because attempts, problems, and results are fully documented.

In short, a partner like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. takes the constant “where are we on this?” noise off your plate. You get one reliable team that handles service, skips, backgrounds, and investigations with the level of care your cases and reputation deserve.

Conclusion

Effective witness locates, thorough background checks, and clean social media intel all point to the same result: reliable facts that you can stand on in front of a judge. When those three pillars are handled by a legal-focused PI team, you get clear timelines, verified identities, and documented online activity that supports your theory instead of leaving you exposed.

For Florida law firms, and out-of-state firms with Florida cases, partnering with Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. means your investigation and service of process work comes in court-ready form, backed by photos, GPS data, and straightforward reporting. If you want fewer surprises, stronger settlement leverage, and files that are ready for trial, this is the kind of support that keeps your cases moving in the right direction.

What Goes in a Solid Affidavit of Service (Practical Guide for Paralegals)

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:44:36 GMT

If service of process is the starting line of a case, the affidavit of service is the receipt that proves you got out of the gate the right way.

For paralegals and legal assistants in Florida and across the country, that one document can decide whether your case moves forward or stalls out. A clear, complete affidavit helps avoid motions to quash, reset hearings, and extra costs that no client wants to see on their bill.

When you work with trained process servers, like the team at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., you get cleaner affidavits plus strong backup data. GPS stamps, photos, and a 24/7 portal give you proof you can show a judge, not just words on a page.

Let’s walk through what a strong affidavit should include and how you can spot problems before they reach the court file.

Core Building Blocks: What Every Strong Affidavit of Service Must Include

Think of a solid affidavit of service as a checklist. Each part connects the service event to the lawsuit in a way a judge can follow in seconds.

If any piece is missing or unclear, defense counsel has room to argue, and you may be stuck re-serving or responding to a motion.

Case details that tie the affidavit to the lawsuit

The first job of an affidavit is to show what case it belongs to. At a minimum, it should clearly list:

Court name and jurisdiction
Full case caption
Case number
Names of the parties
Type of document served (complaint, subpoena, eviction notice, garnishment, etc.)

These labels should match the pleadings and the summons. A single digit off in the case number or a missing party can confuse the docket and cause the clerk to reject the filing.

Small typos can snowball. If the affidavit lists “ABC, Inc.” but the complaint says “ABC, LLC,” someone may later argue it is not the same party.

A smart habit for paralegals is to compare this section against your case management system or the online docket. A 20‑second cross-check here can save days of delay later.

Exact information about who was served and where

Next, the affidavit must show exactly who got served and at what location. Strong affidavits spell out:

Full legal name of the person or entity
Role in the case, such as defendant, respondent, witness, or registered agent
Full service address, including unit number, city, state, and ZIP code

The name should match the summons or subpoena. If skip tracing turned up a new address, the affidavit should still reflect the name exactly as it appears in the caption, even if the address is different.

Matching the address to what appears on the summons helps you explain service later. If service happened at a new address, your notes or skip trace record should support the change.

When and how service was done (date, time, and method)

Courts care a lot about when and how service took place. Deadlines for answers, motions, and hearings all run from that date.

A complete affidavit will include:

Exact calendar date
Time of service, with AM or PM
Method of service, such as personal, substitute, posting, or service by mail

Many states, including Florida, have detailed rules about which methods are allowed for different case types. Using the wrong method can give the other side a simple way to attack service.

Listing the time with AM or PM helps avoid confusion. Military time can cause mistakes when a clerk or judge reads the record in a hurry.

Professional process servers often keep route notes and an attempt history. If there were several attempts before successful service, those notes can help defend the final service date.

Description of the person served and the server’s observations

A short, factual description often makes or breaks a challenge to service. Helpful details include:

Approximate age, height, and build
Gender
Hair color
Glasses, facial hair, or other clear features
Relationship to the named party if it was substitute service

For example, “refused to state age, appeared mid 40s, 5’9”, medium build, brown hair, short beard” is more useful than “adult male.”

If substitute service was used, the affidavit should say who accepted the papers, such as “spouse,” “adult roommate,” or “co‑worker.” When that person later claims they never got served, the court still has a clear record of what happened.

Keep language objective. Avoid guessing or emotional comments. Judges trust simple, neutral facts much more than opinions.

Server’s identity, signature, and notary block

Last, the affidavit must show who carried out service and that they swore to the truth of their statement.

Key details include:

Process server’s full name
Business name, if any
License or appointment number, if required by the state
City or county where the server is based or appointed
Wet ink or electronic signature

Most courts also want a proper notary jurat. That section should list the state, county, date sworn, and the notary’s signature and stamp.

Unsigned or unnotarized affidavits often get bounced by clerks, which forces you to chase corrections at the worst possible time.

A firm like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. trains its servers on notary rules and format, so affidavits arrive ready for filing instead of needing repairs.

Practical Drafting Tips: How Paralegals Can Spot Problems Before Filing

Once the affidavit hits your desk or portal, your review is the last line of defense. A quick, focused check can prevent re‑service, hearing resets, and awkward calls with clients.

Use a simple checklist to review every affidavit of service

A repeatable checklist keeps your review fast and consistent. You might use:

Case caption, court, and case number
Name of person or entity served
Address and method of service
Date and time of service
Physical description or relationship for substitute service
Server’s information and signature
Notary stamp, commission number, and notary date

Print a one‑page checklist or save it near your case management screen. When a new affidavit comes in, run through the same steps every time before you e‑file or send it to the attorney.

Over time, this habit becomes muscle memory, and errors become rare.

Common affidavit mistakes that trigger delays or challenges

Certain problems show up again and again. Watch for:

Wrong or missing case number
Incomplete address, such as missing unit or city
Name spelled differently than on the summons
Method of service that is not allowed in that state for that document
No notary, missing stamp, or expired notary commission
Service date outside the court’s allowed service window
Vague entries like “served as directed” without any details

Each of these can give the defense leverage to argue bad service. Catching them before filing protects your firm, your attorney, and your client from extra time and cost.

If you spot a problem, reach out to the process server right away. Reliable companies will quickly correct or re‑serve when needed.

Using technology, photos, and GPS to back up service

Modern process servers do much more than hand someone papers and drive away. Many record:

GPS coordinates and time stamps
Photos of the residence, mailbox, or posting location
Route logs and attempt histories
Digital notes about each contact or attempt

When service is questioned, these records can be powerful support. As a paralegal, you should know how to pull this backup, or who to ask for it.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers a 24/7 online portal where you can see affidavits, GPS logs, and real‑time status updates. That makes it easy to answer a judge’s question, respond to a motion, or calm a nervous client who wants proof that service really happened.

Working with your process server as a long‑term partner

Your process server is more than a vendor. Treated well, they become part of your extended team.

Some simple habits help:

Send clear instructions, including deadlines and any special state rules
Confirm addresses and share any skip tracing results you already have
Flag security concerns, gated communities, or tricky locations
Give quick feedback if an affidavit needs a correction or more detail

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. works this way with Florida firms and national clients. They offer routine, rush, and same‑day service, along with skip tracing when an address is bad. That helps you keep cases moving, even when defendants try to stay out of sight.

Conclusion

A strong affidavit of service is clear, complete, and easy for a judge to read in one pass. It ties the case details, the person served, the place, and the method together in a way that leaves little room for dispute.

Paralegals and legal assistants who use a checklist mindset, work closely with trained process servers, and keep affidavits and backup records organized can prevent many service fights before they start.

If you handle cases in Florida or nationwide and want reliable, evidence‑backed service, consider partnering with Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. Their trained team, GPS and photo support, and 24/7 portal can give you the confidence that every service event is ready for court.

Your files stay cleaner, your attorneys have fewer headaches, and your clients see smoother progress in their cases.

Understanding the Legal Requirements for Service of Process Across State Lines

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:21 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators explains the complex legal landscape surrounding serving process across state lines —a critical area where even minor mistakes can derail a case. If your firm handles litigation that spans multiple jurisdictions, this is a must-watch video that breaks down the specific steps required to ensure every serve meets the rules of both the originating and recipient states.

Serving a defendant in another state isn’t as simple as dropping papers in the mail. Each jurisdiction has its own regulations on how, when, and by whom service can be made. Federal Rule 4(k) permits service when the defendant has sufficient jurisdictional ties, but compliance with both states’ civil procedure rules remains essential. That means your serve must satisfy dual requirements —those of the filing court and the defendant’s home state. From personal delivery and certified mail to agent acceptance or publication , every method is governed by local statutes that can differ widely.

Some states, such as California, Texas, Arizona, and Washington , require process servers to hold specific licenses or certifications. Others allow any qualified adult to serve legal documents. Failing to use a properly authorized server—or missing state-specific service deadlines (commonly 90 to 120 days)—can result in invalid service and potential dismissal.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators , we ensure your documents are served lawfully and defensibly nationwide. Our experienced team understands long-arm jurisdiction , licensing rules , and deadline variations in all 50 states. We handle the details, verify compliance, and provide complete documentation—so your case remains on solid legal ground.

Don’t risk losing your case over a technicality.

�� Call us today at (844) 348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to ensure your interstate service of process is performed accurately, efficiently, and in full compliance with every state’s legal standards.

Best Practices for Serving Process on Military Personnel

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 16:00:06 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. explains what every attorney and paralegal should know about serving legal papers to active-duty or reserve military personnel . Unlike civilian service, delivering process to service members involves federal regulations, base protocols, and strict compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) . Understanding these rules is critical to ensuring that service is valid, defensible, and enforceable in court.

Off-base service generally follows standard state or county civil procedure—service can be made like any civilian. However, on-base service is far more complex. Access to military installations is restricted, and service typically requires approval from base legal offices or a Judge Advocate General (JAG) representative. The service member must be personally served—others cannot accept papers on their behalf—and in many cases, delivery must occur in the presence of a commanding officer or designated representative.

Each branch of the military has its own rules governing civilian legal process. For example, Army Regulation 32 CFR §516.10 and Navy/Marine Regulation 32 CFR §720.20 outline specific procedures for granting permission and coordinating with base authorities. When service members are deployed overseas , international treaties such as the Hague Service Convention and Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) may apply. Additionally, the SCRA provides important protections that may delay proceedings if active duty interferes with the service member’s ability to respond.

Serving process on military personnel is never routine—it requires precision, patience, and procedural knowledge. Working with a team experienced in federal and international service rules ensures that your documents are properly delivered, protecting your case from delays or challenges.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , our team specializes in military process serving —on base, off base, and abroad. We coordinate directly with JAG offices and military authorities to ensure every service meets legal and ethical standards.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to learn how our team can help you navigate military service requirements confidently and compliantly.

Why Law Firms Need a Trusted Private Investigator on Speed Dial

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:04 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. explains why every law firm should have a trusted private investigator on speed dial . When cases hinge on elusive facts, missing witnesses, or hidden assets, having investigative support available immediately can mean the difference between a stalled case and a strategic breakthrough.

As Hessen describes, experienced investigators provide law firms with fast, actionable intelligence —from locating hard-to-find individuals and uncovering financial or behavioral patterns to gathering timestamped surveillance evidence. These insights don’t just fill in the gaps; they often shift the direction of a case entirely, strengthening deposition prep, negotiation positions, and courtroom credibility.

Private investigators also work hand-in-hand with process servers to improve the efficiency and accuracy of serves , especially in high-stakes or evasive scenarios. Information gathered from skip tracing, surveillance, and database research ensures process serving is both targeted and effective. Meanwhile, investigators can document findings through photographic evidence, affidavits, and courtroom-ready exhibits , giving attorneys a defensible, evidence-based foundation for their arguments.

For law firms managing tight deadlines or complex litigation, having an investigator ready to deploy is more than a convenience—it’s a strategic advantage . Their ability to act quickly, discreetly, and within legal parameters keeps cases moving forward while protecting the integrity of the evidence gathered.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , Amaro Hessen’s team provides nationwide support for law firms , integrating private investigation, skip tracing, process serving, and litigation intelligence. Their mission is simple: deliver reliable information and evidence—fast, compliant, and ready for use in court.

When facts are scarce and time is critical, your firm can’t afford to wait. Make professional investigation part of your strategy—not your backup plan.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to discover how having a private investigator on call can help your firm solve cases faster, strengthen evidence, and stay one step ahead in litigation.

How GPS Tracking Can Assist in Investigations

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. explains how GPS tracking technology has become a powerful, court-defensible tool for law firms conducting investigations. Whether you’re building a case, enforcing compliance, or tracing assets, GPS tracking can provide the verifiable, time-stamped evidence your strategy needs to succeed.

As Hessen describes, GPS tracking investigations allow attorneys and investigators to monitor vehicle movements, confirm locations, and document patterns of behavior that may be critical to a case. Each GPS log captures data such as time, speed, and coordinates—all of which can be exported into reports or visual maps for use in affidavits, depositions, or courtroom exhibits. This level of detail adds credibility and precision to your evidence.

One of the most valuable features of modern GPS systems is geo-fencing —the ability to set virtual boundaries and receive alerts when a tracked vehicle enters or exits those zones. This can be instrumental in surveillance, compliance monitoring, or injunction enforcement. Combined with skip tracing and surveillance , GPS tracking gives investigators real-time visibility, allowing them to anticipate subject movements, locate key individuals, and time their field operations more effectively.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators ensures that all GPS deployments are fully compliant with federal and state privacy laws , including consent and data retention requirements. Every investigation follows strict chain-of-custody and security protocols, ensuring the information gathered is both lawful and defensible in court.

When used correctly, GPS tracking isn’t just about knowing where someone is—it’s about building a clear, reliable narrative that supports your case theory and strengthens your litigation or enforcement position.

If your firm needs real-time evidence to bolster an investigation or improve enforcement outcomes, GPS tracking can deliver the clarity and credibility your case demands.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to learn how GPS-based investigations can help your firm secure critical evidence and enhance your investigative strategy.

How to Conduct Asset Searches for Litigation and Judgments

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:00:01 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. explains how strategic asset searches can turn a paper judgment into real financial recovery. Whether your firm is assessing the viability of a lawsuit or enforcing a judgment, knowing where the money is—and how to find it—can make or break your case outcome.

As Hessen outlines in the video, asset searches serve two critical purposes : pre-litigation evaluation and post-judgment enforcement. Before filing a lawsuit, a focused asset search helps determine whether pursuing litigation is financially worthwhile. After a judgment, those same investigative methods can locate hidden or undisclosed assets that may be used to satisfy the award.

The investigative process involves far more than a simple database check. Skilled investigators utilize a blend of public records, corporate filings, property searches, and forensic accounting to uncover bank accounts, real estate holdings, business interests, and offshore accounts. These tools reveal hidden connections—like shell companies, asset transfers, or trusts—that may otherwise go undetected.

Hessen also stresses the importance of maintaining a “watching brief” to monitor ongoing changes in asset ownership. Funds move quickly, and companies shift jurisdictions, so continuous monitoring ensures your enforcement strategy stays one step ahead. Combining this vigilance with legal compliance and precise documentation makes findings defensible in court and useful in negotiation or settlement.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , the team provides comprehensive asset search and tracing services designed specifically for litigation support. Their investigations are compliant, ethical, and results-driven—giving law firms the actionable intelligence they need to enforce judgments and recover assets effectively.

If your firm is preparing for litigation or seeking to enforce an existing judgment, don’t rely on guesswork. Turn intelligence into recovery.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to learn how a litigation-ready asset search can strengthen your case strategy and help transform your judgments into real results.

How to Safeguard Confidential Information During Investigations

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:03 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. explains why protecting confidential client information during investigations is not just good practice—it’s a legal and ethical necessity. Every day, investigative teams handle highly sensitive data through surveillance, witness interviews, and forensic evidence collection. A single misstep can expose clients to risk and compromise a firm’s reputation.

As Hessen details in the video, maintaining confidentiality begins with secure data handling . Every file, photo, and report should be collected, transmitted, and stored using encrypted platforms and password-protected portals. Access should be strictly limited to authorized team members, with full logging of who viewed or handled which materials. This ensures that your investigative process remains both transparent and defensible.

Another critical area Hessen highlights is chain of custody and evidence integrity . Whether you’re managing physical documents or digital media, maintaining a clear, documented trail is essential. Use tamper-evident seals, timestamped transfer logs, and digital hashing protocols to guarantee that evidence remains authentic and unaltered from collection to courtroom presentation.

Fieldwork also presents unique risks. During surveillance or interviews, investigators must protect sensitive data by using secure devices, anonymized identifiers, and confidentiality agreements with witnesses. Firms must also comply with privacy regulations such as FCRA, GDPR, and HIPAA , depending on the data involved.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , confidentiality is built into every service—from process serving to complex investigative assignments. Their systems include encrypted communications, controlled access, and regular audits to ensure total compliance and client trust.

Safeguarding confidential information isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of every credible investigation.

�� Protect your clients and your firm. Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to learn more about their secure investigative protocols and how your firm can strengthen its confidentiality practices today.

Should Businesses Conduct Regular Background Checks on Employees?

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:01 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators discusses a crucial but often overlooked question for business owners: should employee background checks stop at hiring, or continue regularly throughout employment? As Hessen explains, periodic background screening isn’t just a best practice—it’s a critical component of protecting your business, clients, and reputation.

People change over time. An employee who passed an initial background check could later face new legal issues, financial troubles, or regulatory violations that pose serious risks to your organization. Regular background checks help identify these changes early, allowing your company to respond before issues escalate. For industries like law, finance, and healthcare—where compliance and trust are paramount—routine screening is often required by regulatory standards such as FCRA, SOC, and other industry audits.

In the video, Hessen outlines how to structure an effective, compliant background screening program. The process should include annual or biannual reviews, consent-based checks, and a focus on accuracy and confidentiality. Screenings may cover criminal history, financial judgments, sanctions lists, credit checks (where permitted), and professional license verifications. By conducting these checks proactively, businesses demonstrate due diligence, strengthen client confidence, and reduce liability exposure.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , the team integrates corporate background investigations with skip tracing and process serving—delivering a complete risk management solution. Their screenings are fast, FCRA-compliant, and documented with full chain-of-custody proof, ensuring defensibility and reliability in every report.

If your business wants to protect itself beyond the hiring process, regular employee background checks are the smart, proactive choice. Don’t wait for a crisis to uncover hidden risk—detect and prevent it early.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to set up a recurring background check program and safeguard your organization with confidence and compliance.

Watch the video above to learn how ongoing employee screening can protect your company’s integrity—and its future.

The ROI of Reliable Process Serving for High-Volume Litigation Firms

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:01 GMT

High-volume litigation firms live or die by margins. A single delayed process serving attempt can cascade into missed deadlines, blown budgets, and lost revenue. Yet most firms still treat law firm process service as a line-item expense rather than a profit center.

The truth? Partnering with professional process servers delivers measurable process server ROI —often 3–5x the cost in recovered billables, avoided sanctions, and faster cycle times. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. has proven this for 40 years, turning South Florida’s busiest dockets into predictable cash flow.

The Hidden Costs Eating Your Margins

Consider a 50-attorney firm handling 1,200 new matters annually. DIY or low-bid process serving seems cheap at $40 per serve—until you tally the leaks:

Total hidden cost per problem file: $2,155 . Multiply by 15% evasion rate (180 files) = $387,900 annual bleed .

How Process Serving Efficiency Drives ROI

A vetted legal support vendor flips the equation. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. strives for:

1. First-Attempt Success

GPS-verified addresses + real-time skip tracing has the potential to cut attempts to 1.1 on average.

2. 48-Hour National Turnaround

Upload by 10 AM ET, affidavit by COB next day. Shave 10–14 days off each file’s timeline. For contingency shops, that’s $1.2M earlier recovery on a $12M book.

3. Zero Rejected Affidavits

Courts accept 100% of their GPS-stamped, e-notarized proofs. Eliminate $1,200 re-service motions per 100 files.

4. Predictable Budgeting

Volume pricing locks rates for 12 months. No surge fees for rush TROs. Finance loves the forecast accuracy.

Real Numbers: A 2024 Case Study

A Broward County plaintiffs’ firm with 800 active PI files switched to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. mid-year.

Process server ROI : 412% in year one. The switch paid for itself in 41 days.

Beyond the Serve: Bundled Efficiency

The smartest professional process servers amplify returns with:

Asset locates : Jump-start enforcement without new vendors.
Batch uploading : 500 summons at once via secure API.
KPI dashboards : Track cost-per-file, cycle time, and recovery velocity.

One portal, one invoice, one legal support vendor —zero friction.

Calculating Your Firm’s Process Server ROI

Use this 60-second formula:

Annual serves × current cost/serve = Baseline spend
Evasion rate × hidden cost per fail ($2,155) = Leakage
Days to judgment × avg. case value × cost of capital (8%) = Delay penalty
New vendor cost – savings = Net ROI

Example:

1,200 serves × $142 = $170,400

15% evasion × $2,155 = $38,790

60 days × $1.2M book × 8% = $16,000

Switch cost: $106,800

ROI = $118,390 / $106,800 = 211%

Red Flags Your Current Vendor Is Draining ROI

Lock In Your ROI Today

High-volume firms using Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. report:

37% lower cost per serve
89% fewer failed attempts
$1.84M average annual recovery gain

Stop leaking billables. Upload your next batch at proprocessservers.com or call (954) 933-9353 for a custom process server ROI analysis. Your margins will thank you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ):

What is the average process server ROI for high-volume litigation firms?

Firms that switch to professional, efficient process serving report a high return on investment, with case studies showing an average of 412% ROI and an annual recovery gain of over $1.8 million in the first year.

What hidden costs are associated with cheap or DIY process serving?

Hidden costs include fees wasted on failed service attempts, billable time paralegals spend chasing service status, expensive attorney time for drafting motions for alternative service, and significant lost revenue due to delayed default judgments.

How does a professional legal support vendor drive better process server ROI?

Professionals improve ROI by ensuring a high first-attempt success rate, providing fast national turnaround (e.g., 48 hours). Our goal is zero rejected affidavits, and offering predictable volume pricing.

Why Bigger Law Firms Rely on Certified Process Servers for Compliance

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:02:36 GMT

In high-stakes litigation, legal document delivery is the foundation of due process. One misstep—improper service, incomplete proof, or jurisdictional error—can void a default judgment, trigger sanctions, or force costly re-service.

For larger law firms managing multi-jurisdictional dockets, only a certified process server delivers the ironclad compliance that protects six- and seven-figure cases. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc . has been that trusted partner for 40 years, serving South Florida and nationwide with precision.

The High Cost of Non-Compliance in Big-Firm Litigation

Larger firms face unique risks when legal document delivery fails:

Default judgments overturned : Courts routinely vacate awards if service affidavits lack GPS data or notary errors.
Malpractice exposure : Clients sue when procedural flaws delay recovery.
Regulatory scrutiny : State bars and federal rules ( FRCP 4 ) demand verifiable service.

A registered process server from a reputable process service company eliminates these threats. Every serve by Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. includes court-ready documentation that withstands motions to quash.

Certification Isn’t Optional—It’s Mandatory in Most Jurisdictions

Partnering with nationwide process servers who maintain active credentials in every jurisdiction ensures compliance without your paralegals researching local rules.

How Certified Process Servers Protect Your Firm

1. Court-Admissible Affidavits Every Time

A certified process server swears to service under penalty of perjury. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. enhances this with:

GPS-stamped photos of the recipient and documents
Time-synced body cam footage (available on request)
Electronic notary integration for same-day filing

2. Multi-Jurisdictional Expertise

Serve a California subpoena on a New York executive? Their process agent network handles foreign subpoenas, Hague Convention requirements, and tribal court rules—flawlessly.

3. Audit-Ready Records

Large firms undergo regular audits. Their client portal archives every serve for 7 years, exportable in PDF or CSV. Need proof for a partner meeting or OC malpractice review? It’s one click away.

4. Rush & Specialty Service

4-hour “hot rush” for TROs and restraining orders
Stakeout service for evasive CEOs
Diplomatic pouch for international defendants

Case Study: $42M Judgment Secured with One Certified Serve

A Miami-based Am Law 100 firm needed to serve a Bahamian holding company in a RICO case. The defendant’s registered agent had dissolved. Within 48 hours, Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.:

Located the successor agent in Nassau via skip tracing
Coordinated with a Hague-authorized process agent
Delivered via certified mail + in-person confirmation
Returned a Florida-compliant affidavit with Bahamian apostille

The judgment stood. The firm saved thousands in re-litigation costs.

Red Flags: When Your Current Process Server Isn’t Cutting It

The Compliance Checklist for Big-Firm GCs

Before your next mass tort or class action filing, verify your process service company meets:

Active certification in every service state
$1M+ E&O insurance
SOC 2-compliant data security
High first-attempt success rate
24/7 client portal with API access

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. checks every box—and has since 1985.

Secure Your Next Judgment with Zero Procedural Risk

Compliance isn’t a luxury—it’s survival. Large law firms trust nationwide process servers like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. because one failed serve can cost millions. Their certified process server team delivers:

99.7% acceptance rate by courts nationwide
Zero rejected affidavits in 2024
Flat-rate pricing with no hidden fees

Upload your documents at proprocessservers.com or call (954) 933-9353 for same-day rush service. Your reputation—and your recovery—depend on it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ):

Why do large law firms require a certified process server for service of process?
A certified process server delivers ironclad compliance that protects multi-jurisdictional dockets from procedural flaws that can overturn default judgments, trigger sanctions, or lead to malpractice exposure.

What documentation does a certified process server provide to ensure compliance?
They provide court-admissible affidavits that can be enhanced with GPS-stamped photos, time-synced body cam footage, and electronic notary integration for same-day filing.

Is certification for a process server mandatory in all US jurisdictions?
Certification is mandatory in many key states, such as Florida and Texas (JBCC certification), and California (county registration), though other areas like New York City may only require bonding.

How Law Firms Can Streamline Litigation with Professional Process Servers

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:51:12 GMT

In today’s fast-paced legal landscape, delays in service of process can derail even the strongest case. Missed deadlines, evasive defendants, and jurisdictional hurdles create bottlenecks that inflate costs and frustrate clients. For law firms juggling high caseloads, process serving for law firms isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a strategic advantage.

Partnering with a professional process servers company like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. transforms this critical step into a seamless, reliable operation.

Why Traditional Process Serving Falls Short for Modern Law Firms

Many firms still rely on sheriff’s departments or in-house staff for service of process . While cost-effective on paper, these methods often lead to:

Delayed attempts : Overloaded public offices prioritize criminal matters over civil summons.
Incomplete documentation : Missing affidavits or GPS timestamps that courts reject.
Evasive parties : Defendants who dodge service, forcing costly skip-trace efforts.

A dedicated legal process server eliminates these risks. With 40 years of experience serving South Florida and nationwide, Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. delivers court-admissible proof of service—every time.

The Professional Edge: Technology Meets Tenacity

Today’s top process serving company combines old-school grit with cutting-edge tools. Here’s how Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. accelerates law firm support :

1. Real-Time Case Tracking Portal

Upload documents, monitor attempts, and download affidavits 24/7. No more phone tag or email chains—your paralegal sees updates the moment they happen.

2. Skip Tracing Integration

When standard addresses fail, their investigators deploy database searches, social media analysis, and field surveillance. Over 95% of “hard-to-find” defendants are located within 72 hours.

3. Nationwide Network, Local Expertise

From Miami-Dade to Manhattan, their vetted professional process servers understand local rules. Serve a New York subpoena from your Fort Lauderdale office? Done by noon.

Cost Savings That Add Up Fast

Consider a mid-sized firm handling 200 cases monthly. DIY serving might cost $35 per attempt via the sheriff—but factor in:

3–5 attempts per evasive defendant = $105–$175
Motion for alternative service = $500+ in attorney time
Delayed filing = potential sanctions

A flat-rate process serving for law firms package averages $75–$95 with high completion rates. The math speaks for itself: firms save 40–60% while reducing administrative headaches.

Beyond the Serve: Full-Spectrum Law Firm Support

The best legal process server does more than hand over papers. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. bundles:

Court filing & retrieval : Same-day filing in Florida circuits.
Background checks : Asset searches for enforcement phases.
Surveillance : Prove cohabitation or income for family law cases.

This integrated approach keeps your litigation timeline on track from complaint to judgment.

How to Choose the Right Process Serving Company

Not all servers are created equal. Vet partners with these criteria:

Streamline Your Next Case—Starting Today

Every hour lost to faulty service of process is billable time wasted. Law firms partnering with Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. report:

98% first-attempt success on traceable parties
48-hour average turnaround nationwide
Zero rejected affidavits in 2024

Ready to reclaim control of your docket? Contact South Florida’s trusted process serving company at (954) 933-9353 or upload documents at proprocessservers.com. Your next win starts with a single click.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ):

Why is traditional process serving inefficient for modern law firms?

Traditional methods often lead to delayed attempts because public offices prioritize criminal matters, result in incomplete documentation that courts reject, and struggle with evasive defendants, forcing costly skip-trace efforts.

What technological advantages do professional process serving companies offer?

Top companies offer tools like a real-time case tracking portal for 24/7 monitoring and integrated skip tracing to locate hard-to-find defendants quickly.

How does professional process serving save law firms money?

While professional packages average $75–$95, they avoid the hidden costs of DIY serving—such as fees for multiple attempts, attorney time for alternative service motions, and potential sanctions for delayed filing—resulting in 40–60% total savings.

The Role of Technology in Modern Service of Process

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators explains how technology has completely transformed the service of process industry—bringing unmatched speed, accuracy, and accountability to law firms nationwide. As Hessen highlights, modern process server technology isn’t just a convenience—it’s an essential tool for compliance, transparency, and case success.

Gone are the days of waiting for phone updates or uncertain service timelines. With today’s advanced tools, every service attempt can be digitally logged through mobile apps, GPS-stamped, timestamped, and photo-documented in real time. This ensures your firm receives instant updates and court-ready proof of service—reducing delays, avoiding errors, and keeping your cases moving efficiently.

Modern process server platforms also integrate jurisdiction-specific rules directly into the workflow, guaranteeing that each serve meets the required legal standards. Auto-generated affidavits, guided checklists, and cloud-based management systems mean law firms can monitor progress, upload new documents, and communicate with servers—all from one secure portal. The result? Fewer mistakes, faster turnaround times, and complete visibility into every step of the process.

But that’s just the beginning. As Hessen explains in the video, the future of process serving includes AI-driven route optimization, predictive skip tracing, and even blockchain-based proof of service—providing tamper-proof verification and unmatched reliability. These innovations help law firms streamline operations, minimize disputes, and enhance client confidence.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , every service combines cutting-edge technology with nationwide reach and legal compliance. Whether your firm handles high-volume litigation or complex multi-state cases, you’ll benefit from transparent, tech-enabled service that keeps you informed at every stage.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to learn how our tech-driven service of process solutions can elevate your firm’s accuracy, accountability, and efficiency.

Watch the video above to see how modern technology is reshaping service of process—and why your firm should make the switch today.

How Legal Investigations Can Influence the Outcome of a Case

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 00:15:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators reveals how strategic legal investigations can dramatically shape the outcome of a case—often before a single motion is filed. As Hessen explains, the most decisive moments in litigation frequently occur during the investigative phase, where evidence is uncovered, witnesses are located, and facts are verified long before the courtroom lights ever turn on.

Legal investigations give law firms the insight and leverage needed to make confident decisions early. Whether uncovering hidden assets, identifying undisclosed parties, or verifying witness credibility, these investigations fill critical information gaps that can make or break a case. Professional Process Servers & Investigators integrates these services directly into litigation support—providing attorneys with verified documentation, photo evidence, and detailed reports that stand up to courtroom scrutiny.

In the video, Hessen outlines how investigative work supports every phase of a case: from discovery and depositions to pre-trial strategy and negotiation. Detailed surveillance, skip tracing, document retrieval, and background checks all contribute to building a stronger narrative and exposing inconsistencies in opposing claims. This early preparation not only strengthens your filings but can also shift negotiation dynamics—allowing your firm to achieve favorable settlements faster and with greater certainty.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , every service is designed with compliance, precision, and nationwide reach. Their team combines the efficiency of expert process serving with the depth of professional investigation—offering law firms a powerful combination of speed, accuracy, and strategic intelligence.

If your firm wants to gain a competitive edge in complex litigation or simply strengthen your case strategy before trial, now is the time to act.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to learn how investigation-driven results can help your firm uncover critical evidence, enhance negotiations, and secure better outcomes for your clients.

Watch the video above to discover how proactive legal investigations can change your next case—before it even reaches court.

What Are Process Servers and Why Are They Essential for Law Firms

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 00:00:02 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators explains why process servers are not just helpful, but essential to every law firm’s success. As Hessen points out, improper or delayed service of legal documents can derail a case before it even begins—resulting in costly delays, ethical concerns, or even dismissals. The video offers an inside look at how professional process servers safeguard your firm’s cases by ensuring every summons, subpoena, and complaint is delivered accurately, securely, and in full legal compliance.

Process servers play a vital role in the justice system by delivering critical documents to individuals, corporations, or other legal parties according to local and federal rules. But true professionalism in this field goes far beyond simple delivery. At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. , every service comes with GPS-stamped proof, photo documentation, and a digital affidavit—guaranteeing your firm has verifiable records that stand up in court. With nationwide reach, volume-based pricing, and guaranteed timelines, their team ensures your cases move forward efficiently, no matter where your recipients are located.

For those particularly challenging cases, their skip tracing and private investigation services add another layer of support. Using advanced databases and surveillance methods, they locate evasive individuals, verify addresses, and provide real-time updates through a secure client portal. This combination of technology and expertise gives law firms the transparency and confidence they need to focus on strategy—not paperwork problems.

If your firm handles time-sensitive or high-volume caseloads, partnering with a trusted, tech-forward provider like Professional Process Servers & Investigators is essential. Don’t risk your cases on incomplete or noncompliant service.

�� Call or visit proprocessservers.com today to ensure every document your firm serves is accurate, timely, and legally sound.

5 Effective Bank Search Techniques for Lawyers

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:10:19 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hessen of Professional Process Servers & Investigators breaks down five proven techniques that help lawyers locate hidden or unclaimed bank assets tied to litigation, estates, and financial disputes. Billions of dollars in funds go undiscovered each year simply because law firms don’t have the right tools or strategies to trace them. This video explains exactly how to change that—and how partnering with an experienced investigative team can make all the difference.

Locating hidden or dormant accounts requires more than just a Google search. Hessen outlines a strategic, multi-step process beginning with public resources such as state unclaimed property databases, FDIC PFR statements, and Secretary of State filings. From there, law firms can turn to specialized investigative databases—like LexisNexis, IRB, and Accurant—to uncover account details, aliases, and linked parties that often reveal the full financial picture.

The video also explores when and how to issue subpoenas to compel disclosure from financial institutions, especially in complex trust, probate, or divorce cases. Lawyers can supplement these efforts through open-source intelligence, including payroll records, vendor payments, and even social media activity that points to a bank’s involvement. Finally, Hessen highlights the power of collaboration—working with nationwide networks and local investigators who can access county records and facilitate subpoenas quickly and lawfully.

These five bank search techniques form the foundation of effective asset recovery and case preparation. With expert support, your firm can move from uncertainty to clear, documented financial insight—crucial for settlements, judgments, and client trust.

�� Call 844-348-3111 or visit proprocessservers.com to learn how Professional Process Servers & Investigators can help your firm locate hidden bank assets, trace funds, and close financial investigations efficiently and discreetly.

Watch the video above to see how these techniques are applied in real investigations—and start uncovering the assets your case depends on today.

How Our Florida Private Investigators Make Life Easier for Law Firm Clients

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Private investigators are an often overlooked but essential part of many legal cases.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , Florida is one of the top employing states of private investigators. Given the prevalence of this field in the state, it is essential for law firms to find a reliable, licensed private investigation (PI) group that offers distinctive services to assist with legal investigations. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers ethical and legally compliant services for Florida attorneys.

What Investigation Services Do Florida Private Investigators Provide?

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. can assist law firms with a range of investigation services , including:

Background checks: Private detectives can assist with background checks for employment or custody purposes. They may search for local, state, and federal criminal records and gather information about a party’s past through interviews and digital footprints.
Missing persons: A private missing persons investigator can assist legal teams in tracking those who disappear from their daily routines. For subjects of criminal investigations, this process is known as skip tracing . These investigations may be useful in serious criminal cases, such as kidnappings, or in civil cases, such as spouses who have dropped communication and refuse to pay child support.
Surveillance services: Perhaps most famously, private investigators can provide discrete surveillance services that offer legally compliant insight into someone’s whereabouts and interactions. These services can help legal teams collect evidence for criminal or infidelity investigations.

Beyond surveillance and background checks, our private investigators can also assist attorneys (defense and prosecution) with building a case.

They may expand a legal team’s resources by providing services such as:

Evidence gathering: A PI can help legal teams uncover additional evidence to support a case. Evidence may include surveillance footage, virtual records, or additional information that law enforcement may initially miss. This added support in the discovery process can free up the attorney’s time and resources to focus on other aspects of the case.
Independent witness interviews: Investigators may also conduct interviews to uncover new details that law enforcement may have missed, leading to reliable testimonies that impact the case’s credibility. This can be especially important when forming a defense.
Identifying inconsistencies: These investigators can verify statements and alibis by reviewing data such as phone and internet records, credit card statements, and other paper trails that may either challenge or verify the opposing counsel’s claims.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. acts as an objective third party that can support law firms at various stages of their civil or criminal proceedings. Investigators have access to exclusive databases and experts that attorneys often do not. Leveraging these contacts in an ethical and legally compliant manner can significantly reduce the investigative burden on attorneys and may improve the efficiency of some legal proceedings.

These services benefit law firm clients by expanding their investigative network, saving time, and ensuring additional thoroughness within evidence gathering and witness review.

Consider Partnering With Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers reliable private investigation services throughout Florida. Law firms trust us to diligently gather evidence, trace missing persons, and provide active surveillance to support their ongoing casework. Our team also provides process services to ensure secure, timely, and discreet civil proceedings.

In every service, our investigators prioritize privacy and compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations. Law firms can trust us to securely obtain the information they need, reducing their investigative burden and allowing them to focus on other critical aspects of case development.

To learn more about our Florida private investigators, call 844-714-3948.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ):

What services do Florida private investigators provide?

Florida PIs offer background checks, conduct surveillance, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and verify statements.

How can private investigators help law firms?

PIs expand investigative resources, save time, and ensure thorough evidence and witness reviews, aiding in civil and criminal cases.

Why hire a licensed Florida private investigator?

Licensed PIs operate ethically and legally, have access to exclusive databases, and provide objective support to legal teams.

Why We’re the Process Server Miami Law Firms Trust

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Process servers are essential complements to law firms.

These professionals may serve subpoenas and other court documents to ensure the protection of civil procedures. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. provides these services to Miami law firms, ensuring discreet and timely delivery of legal documents. Those seeking a process server in Miami should understand what qualities are most important in the field.

What Matters Most in a Process Server in Miami

According to American Judicial System , law firms should be aware of several commonalities among reliable process servers. First, the reputation and experience of the server are crucial considerations, as these are valuable indicators of consistency and can help a law firm find a reliable professional to secure delivery.

Second, servers must possess extensive knowledge of the legal system and any local and state regulations that apply to the delivery process. It is essential to seek a server who is knowledgeable about the specific civil documents involved to avoid potential delays or serious consequences, such as case dismissal.

Process servers should also provide up-to-date technological support to keep the delivery as secure and efficient as possible. Given the advances in GPS tracking and secure document management systems, law firms tend to prefer servers that enable them to securely monitor their documents. Potential servers should offer features such as digital proof of service and transparent live updates for added assurance.

Also, law firms prefer process servers offering extended availability beyond traditional nine-to-five hours, as legal needs sometimes exceed this range. While around-the-clock availability is unnecessary, swift responses are essential, especially in urgent situations.

Clear communication regarding expected turnaround times is also valuable, and law firms may be interested in how a process server handles high-volume periods. It can be challenging to balance accuracy and promptness, but these are essential qualities for deals with large caseloads.

Why Choose Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.?

Law firms choose our experienced team as their civil process server because our representatives are licensed and bonded, offering fully trained service to Miami and its surrounding counties. Our process is also simple to navigate, and law firms can follow these easy steps to receive our assistance:

- Request a quote: Our team offers timely quotes through a straightforward contact form. Simply provide basic information about the services requested.

- Email documents: After our team accepts a case, legal professionals can securely email all documents for service.

- Check for status updates: As our team understands the time-sensitive nature of civil processes, we offer simple status updates online that help legal professionals see when we deliver their documents .

- Await final confirmation: After we deliver the documents, our team will send the participating law firm a final email, including a signed affidavit and invoice.

Law firms can also rely on us for same-day process service that complies with all local regulations, timing requirements, and service methods. Our diligence and attention to detail make Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. consistently reliable for legal professionals.

Consult Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.

Law firms in Miami and the surrounding counties can rely on Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. Our services prioritize compliance with local, state, and federal regulations in every delivery. Local legal professionals trust our process servers and investigators to provide discreet, timely service that upholds ethical standards and offers exceptional value.

Our team also offers same-day process service for urgent legal matters, keeping law firms on track for sensitive case timelines.

To find a process server in Miami or learn more about private investigation services, call 844-714-3948.

How Process Servers Assist Attorneys Every Day

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Process servers are responsible for a very important task in the legal industry: legal document delivery. These professionals oversee the compliant delivery of a wide range of legal documents and notices, assisting attorneys virtually every day. Below are just a few of the ways process servers help attorneys.

Serve Legal Documents Professionally and Compliantly

The primary role of a process server is to serve legal documents to recipients in compliance with state and national laws. According to Florida’s rules of civil procedure , only an authorized third party can deliver legal documents. They must ensure that the intended recipient receives them, or at least physically hand them to a member of the recipient’s household.

Process servers have experience serving a wide range of documents, such as:

Court summons
Writs
Complaints
Subpoenas
Divorce petitions
Bankruptcy petitions
Eviction notices
Statutory demands
Freezing orders

Attorneys create these documents on behalf of clients virtually every day. Instead of spending time tracking down a law enforcement officer to deliver them, they can work closely with a process server. Often, attorneys form long-term relationships with certified process servers, calling upon them any time they need a document delivered.

Provide Affidavits of Service To Verify Delivery

Receiving confirmation that the intended recipient has received the legal document is important to the legal process. It allows attorneys to continue with the next step in the case process and ensures that their clients do not miss the filing deadline.

After a process server completes the legal notice delivery, they file an affidavit of service with the court. This sworn statement verifies that they properly delivered the legal documents, acting as proof that the delivery was completed to the court’s requirements.

Track Down Defendants Who Don’t Want To Be Found

Process servers play an important role in locating legal defendants and other parties involved in lawsuits. These professionals are also known as skip tracers , meaning they have the tools, knowledge, and experience to locate individuals who do not want to be found.

Often, defendants in lawsuits know they are about to be served with a complaint or summons. If they can avoid receiving the documents, they can delay the lawsuit. As a result, they will hide from the process server, sometimes fleeing the city or state to avoid document service.

Process servers have experience tracking down defendants at their homes, workplaces, relatives’ houses, and other locations. They use a wide range of advanced tools to determine a person’s whereabouts and deliver the documents to them.

Attorneys can trust their process servers to serve the documents as efficiently as possible. These skip-tracing services can also prove helpful in the evidence collection process; a process server can locate witnesses and other individuals to provide testimony for the case.

Provide Frequent Updates About the Delivery Process

While in some cases, a process server can complete the delivery within a day, other times, they may spend weeks tracking down the defendant for the delivery. Instead of leaving attorneys in the dark, they provide frequent updates about their delivery attempts and where they are in the process.

These ongoing updates allow legal professionals to plan their next steps and keep their clients updated as well.

Request a Quote for Service of Process Today

Process servers play a valuable role in the legal process, assisting attorneys with document delivery and skip tracing. Are you searching for a reputable process server in Florida?

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., provides service of process throughout Florida and across the U.S. Our process servers are licensed, bonded, and fully trained, and we have been serving this industry for over 25 years.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ):

Q1: What is the primary role of process servers in the legal field?

A1: Process servers specialize in the compliant delivery of legal documents like summons, subpoenas, and eviction notices, ensuring they reach the intended recipients and providing proof of service.

Q2: How do process servers help attorneys track down defendants who are avoiding service?

A2: Process servers employ skip tracing techniques and tools to locate individuals who are attempting to evade legal notice, often by finding them at various locations or using advanced tracking methods.

Q3: Why is an affidavit of service important after a process server delivers legal documents?

A3: An affidavit of service is a sworn statement that verifies the legal documents were properly delivered. It's filed with the court as proof, allowing attorneys to proceed with their case.

What Attorneys Should Know About Service of Process in Florida

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:01 GMT

As an attorney, you oversee the delivery of quite a few legal documents each week. You know that in Florida, the plaintiff in a legal case cannot simply hand the documents to the defendant or other parties involved in a lawsuit. Instead, they need to officially "serve" them under Florida’s service of process guidelines.

Fully understanding this process can help your law firm navigate it correctly and efficiently.

Florida’s Service of Process Requirements

The Florida Rules of Civil Procedure detail the requirements for serving legal paperwork. Under these guidelines, only two parties can deliver legal documents:

An authorized officer, such as a county sheriff
A competent, disinterested third party appointed by the court

To be appointed by the court as a "special process server," a person must:

Be 18 or older
Be a permanent resident of the state of Florida
Have no mental or legal disability

They must also submit to a criminal background check, file a certificate of good conduct, and pass a test showing their knowledge of Florida’s service of process requirements. The county sheriff maintains a list of individuals certified and appointed to perform service of process.

The person delivering the legal documents must ensure that the intended party physically receives them. They may do this by:

Visiting the person’s residence and handing the documents to the defendant (personal service)
Delivering the documents to the person in a public setting
Leaving the documents with someone else who resides with the defendant who is at least 15 years old (substitute service)
Delivering the documents at the defendant’s place of work after informing the employer of their intention to do so

What Is a Florida Process Server?

Because Florida’s guidelines for service of process are so strict, many individuals hire a certified process server to deliver legal paperwork for them. This is an entity that has met the state’s criteria for service of process and thoroughly understands the requirements for delivery.

Process servers have experience locating individuals in legal cases who do not want to be found. They will make as many attempts as necessary to deliver legal documents, visiting the person’s home and workplace repeatedly until they can make a successful delivery. They then provide an affidavit of service to confirm the delivery.

Attorneys often work directly with process servers to deliver documents for their plaintiffs rather than relying on a county sheriff to do so.

Why Hiring Process Servers Makes Sense for Attorneys

Service of process is a major step in the legal process. You want to keep your clients’ cases moving, and that requires swift delivery of legal documents to initiate a lawsuit.

This is why many attorneys form long-term partnerships with professional process servers. Hiring a process server allows you to:

Save time : You won’t have to spend time tracking down a county sheriff to deliver the legal documents. A process server in Florida is always available to perform this service.
Track down legal defendants: If the defendant in your client’s case is refusing to respond to their communications, you may wonder whether they will cooperate during the legal process. Process servers also use skip tracing techniques to find defendants who do not want to be found.
Keep the legal process moving: You can avoid unnecessary delays in your case and keep the ball rolling.

Seek Service of Process in Florida Today

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we provide service of process in Florida following all relevant legal guidelines. Allow our process servers to take this responsibility off your shoulders so you can focus on your clients and legal cases.

Request a quote for service of process today by calling 844-348-3111.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: Who can serve legal documents in Florida?

A: In Florida, legal documents can be served by an authorized officer like a county sheriff, or a competent, disinterested third party appointed by the court as a special process server.

Q: What are the requirements to become a special process server in Florida?

A: To be appointed as a special process server in Florida, an individual must be 18 or older, a permanent resident of the state, have no mental or legal disability, pass a background check, and demonstrate knowledge of Florida's service of process requirements.

Q: Why do attorneys often hire professional process servers in Florida?

A: Attorneys hire process servers in Florida to save time, effectively locate defendants who may be avoiding service, and ensure the legal process moves forward without unnecessary delays.

How To Conduct Asset Searches for Litigation and Judgments

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 13:28:39 GMT

Whether you are an attorney looking to uncover assets during a case investigation or a creditor needing to collect money as part of a judgment, knowing how to conduct asset searches can come in handy. Ethically uncovering a person’s assets lets you understand their financial circumstances and determine whether they may be hiding something.

Learn how to conduct asset searches for litigation and judgments.

Determine the Goals for the Asset Search

Different types of asset searches can reveal different information. Start by determining your goals for the investigation and listing the types of accounts or funds you are looking to uncover. Asset searches can provide information about a person’s or business’s:

Bank accounts
Bankruptcies and judgments
Real estate
Corporate filings

If you are conducting asset searches for litigation, you may want to look for fraudulent activity, such as the illicit transfer or concealment of assets. If you need to satisfy a judgment, locating an individual’s assets lays the proper groundwork for seizure.

The nature of asset searches means you may not always know exactly what you need to uncover, but having a general goal can narrow your search.

Explore Different Methods of Uncovering Hidden Assets

A wide range of public records can give insight into a person’s financial picture and asset inventory. Many of these financial records are available for free through government websites.

Real estate/property ownership
Tax records
Annual business reports
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings

You can also find other financial records, such as a person’s bank account information, through legal channels that may not be as readily available.

Online databases may also give you information about a person’s finances. Private investigators use specialized databases to find corporate affiliations, property records, liens, and judgments.

Only so much information is available online. You may need to go out into the field to conduct investigations, interviews, and legal surveillance. This may involve:

Speaking with the person’s neighbors, colleagues, or family members
Covertly talking to the person of interest in the hopes that they will reveal information
Conducting on-site visits to survey and locate physical assets

Understand Ethical Considerations To Abide By

No matter how important your reason for conducting an asset search may seem, you are not above the law. You must adhere to ethical and legal guidelines when searching for a person’s private information. Keep these considerations in mind:

Avoid biases and try to maintain an objective mindset. Your goal is to uncover the truth, not confirm your own assumptions or expectations about a party’s assets.
Maintain integrity and honesty. You may be tempted to manipulate evidence in your favor, but this won’t effectively accomplish your goals.
Respect the target’s privacy and confidentiality. Avoid illegal practices like unauthorized surveillance or trespassing, and only seek information that is publicly available.

Hire a Professional Investigator for Assistance

Thoroughly conducting asset searches for litigation and judgments requires you to gain access to a wide range of databases, records, and accounts. Uncovering the necessary information on your own may be challenging, which is why creditors and attorneys often turn to professional investigators to handle the task for them.

Investigators undergo special training to learn reliable methods of finding targeted information. They adhere to all privacy laws and maintain the highest ethical standards during their searches. They often have access to specific databases that make uncovering records faster and easier than you could do on your own.

Call Upon Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.

If you need help conducting thorough, legally compliant asset searches for litigation or judgments, Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., can take this responsibility off your shoulders. Call us today at 844-722-8835 to request a quote.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Asset Searches for Litigation

What types of assets can be found during asset searches for litigation?

Asset searches can reveal bank accounts, real estate, corporate filings, bankruptcies, judgments, and intellectual property.

Why is it important to conduct ethical asset searches?

Ethical asset searches ensure legal compliance, maintain integrity, respect privacy, and avoid biases, leading to accurate results.

When should I consider hiring a professional investigator for asset searches?

Hire a professional investigator when you need access to specialized databases, require in-depth investigations, or want to ensure legal compliance and efficiency.

What happens if the account holder has multiple accounts?

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Pro Process Servers explains how a thorough bank account search can uncover all the accounts associated with an individual, including checking, savings, investment accounts, and more. Understanding the complete financial picture is essential in legal proceedings, especially when dealing with account holders who have multiple accounts.

Uncovering the Full Financial Picture

When conducting a bank account search, we don’t just focus on one account—we ensure that all accounts associated with the individual are identified. This means gathering information on various types of accounts, from basic checking accounts to more complex investment accounts. By doing so, we provide a comprehensive view of the person’s financial landscape, which can be crucial for legal matters.

Additionally, our search process includes analyzing transaction patterns across all these accounts. This helps identify any unusual or suspicious activities, which can be critical in uncovering fraud or hidden assets. For attorneys and businesses involved in legal proceedings, these insights can provide a strategic advantage, helping build a stronger case.

Why Comprehensive Bank Account Searches Matter

In situations where an account holder has multiple accounts, it’s vital to gather complete and accurate information. Our team takes extra steps to ensure that no account goes unnoticed and that each one is properly accounted for. This level of diligence provides peace of mind, knowing that you have a complete and reliable picture of the account holder's financial situation.

Get the Insights You Need

If you’re handling a case that involves a person with multiple bank accounts, having access to detailed financial information is crucial. Watch the video above to learn more about how our comprehensive bank account searches can help you uncover all the relevant details. Contact us today to get started and ensure you're fully prepared for your legal proceedings.

Do Banks Transfer Funds Between Accounts Using Blockchain Technology?

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 00:00:01 GMT

In the attached video, Pro Process Servers explores how blockchain technology is transforming the way banks handle fund transfers. While blockchain is often associated with cryptocurrency, it’s also being increasingly used by financial institutions for secure and efficient transactions.

How Blockchain is Changing Banking

Yes, some banks are indeed using blockchain technology to transfer funds between accounts. This technology allows for real-time, low-cost international transactions, making it a game-changer for financial institutions. Blockchain enhances the speed, security, and transparency of transactions, enabling faster and more reliable fund transfers.

Many banks are now adopting blockchain for cross-border payments and interbank settlements, offering clients more efficient ways to move money across the globe. Additionally, central banks are also exploring the possibility of integrating digital currencies with blockchain technology, further driving its adoption in the financial sector.

Why is Blockchain Important for Banks?

Blockchain offers numerous advantages over traditional banking systems. Transactions conducted on a blockchain network are more secure due to encryption, and the decentralized nature of blockchain ensures transparency, reducing the risk of fraud. Real-time transactions are possible, eliminating the delays often associated with traditional bank transfers. For businesses and individuals looking for quicker, more secure ways to move funds, blockchain is quickly becoming an ideal solution.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

As blockchain technology continues to evolve, it’s essential to understand its role in modern banking. Whether you're a business owner, an attorney, or simply someone looking to stay informed about the latest financial innovations, staying ahead of the blockchain curve is crucial.

Contact Us to Learn More

Curious about how blockchain could impact your business or legal matters? Watch the video above to learn more, and reach out to Pro Process Servers for insights into how this technology might benefit you.

What information can be obtained from a bank account search?

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Pro Process Servers explains what information can be uncovered through a bank account search and how it can be a game-changer for attorneys involved in financial disputes, fraud investigations, or debt recovery.

What Can a Bank Account Search Reveal?

A bank account search can provide crucial details that may strengthen your legal case. Key information includes:

Account Holder Information: The name and other identifying details of the account holder.
Account Types and Current Balances: Information about the specific types of accounts (checking, savings, etc.) and the current balances.
Transaction History: A detailed record of all transactions, which can be vital in cases involving financial disputes or suspected fraud.
This comprehensive view of an individual’s financial status allows attorneys to get a clearer picture of hidden assets, unusual transactions, or discrepancies that could affect their case.

How Can This Help Your Case?

For attorneys dealing with financial cases or fraud, understanding a client’s or opposing party’s financial activities is essential. A bank account search can provide critical insights into the financial situation of individuals or businesses. Whether it’s to track down hidden assets or uncover financial wrongdoing, this information can significantly impact the direction of your legal strategy.

Legal Requirements for Conducting a Bank Account Search

It’s important to note that legal authorization, such as a court order or subpoena, is typically required to access bank account details. This ensures that the search is conducted within the boundaries of the law, protecting the privacy of all parties involved.

Contact Us Today for a Bank Account Search

If you need to uncover financial details in your case, our bank account search services can help. Contact Pro Process Servers today for more information on how we can support your legal strategy with comprehensive financial insights.

How can private investigation services benefit attorneys and their cases?

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:01 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen explains how private investigation services can provide attorneys with a strategic edge in their cases. Private investigators offer essential support to legal professionals by gathering hard-to-access evidence, conducting background checks, and locating individuals involved in the case.

Why Attorneys Should Use Private Investigation Services

For attorneys looking to strengthen their case, private investigation services are invaluable. Investigators are equipped with the expertise and tools to conduct surveillance, uncover hidden assets, and perform thorough background checks. These services help attorneys gather evidence that may not be accessible through standard legal procedures, providing crucial insights that can make a significant difference in the outcome of a case.

The Benefits of Partnering with a Skilled Investigator

Uncovering Critical Information: Investigators can dig deeper into backgrounds, locate witnesses, and find hidden assets that could be pivotal in strengthening an attorney’s strategy.
Expert Testimony and Fact Verification: A private investigator can serve as an expert witness, providing testimony that supports the attorney's argument.
Comprehensive Case Preparation: The thorough investigations ensure that attorneys are well-prepared with solid, verified facts that could sway the case in their favor.

Gain a Competitive Advantage in Legal Matters

Private investigators don’t just gather evidence—they uncover discrepancies and hidden details that can be crucial for building a stronger case strategy. Their services offer a competitive advantage, especially in cases where the facts may not be immediately clear.

Contact Us to Partner with Experts

If you're an attorney looking to strengthen your case with professional investigation services, Pro Process Servers can help. Our team of experienced investigators is ready to assist you in uncovering the information you need to succeed.

A Miami-Dade Process Server Serves Up Five Must-Know Tips

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Working as a process server is rewarding. It allows you to play a key part in the legal process while keeping you on the edge of your seat daily.

However, life in this profession will not be without its challenges. You will routinely spend hours trying to track down difficult people who will sometimes hide out in dangerous locations to stay off your radar.

Thankfully, you can overcome these hurdles by taking the proper steps. Here, a Miami-Dade process server shares five tips for those looking to make names for themselves within the industry.

1. Learn To Love Researching

The service of process — or the actual legal document delivery that you do while serving the defendant in a lawsuit — is only one aspect of a process server’s job. There is so much more to it.

To succeed in this world, you must also learn to love all the research that comes with each job. You will struggle to locate those you need to serve in the first place if you don’t have a nose for doing extensive detective work before setting your sights on serving individuals.

Every time you sit down to start working on a new case, begin by hopping on your computer and discovering everything you can about a person you’ve been asked to serve. Do this by:

Sifting through a person’s public records
Combing through their social media accounts
Accessing their information in other online databases

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box while conducting research. While it’s a great idea to put a person’s Facebook profile under a microscope and see what it tells you, you might also want to see whether their immediate family members have public Facebook profiles. Any comments this person has left on their profiles could provide further evidence and assist you in pinpointing their whereabouts.

2. Understand Florida’s Unique Laws

Process serving is legal in every U.S. state, but each takes a slightly different approach to regulating the industry. Florida, for example, has a long list of laws you must abide by while working as a Miami-Dade process server.

To work as one in Florida, you must meet the following criteria:

Be at least 18
Be a permanent resident
Be able to pass a background check

Floridians must also pass an examination on the state’s service of process laws to work within the industry. Study hard before taking the test and remember as many of these laws as possible moving forward. This will reduce the chances of you overstepping your boundaries and breaking the law while serving legal documents to someone.

As a process server in Florida, you must also know how exactly you can serve someone with legal documents. These are the top options you will have:

Personal service: Hand-delivering legal documents to a person being served in person
Substituted service: Leaving legal documents with someone who is at least 15 years of age and living in a home with a person being served
Service by publication: Publishing legal documents in a newspaper or another publication for a person being served to see

3. Embrace Technology — Without Relying Too Much on It

It wasn’t all that long ago that process servers in Florida had to do their fair share of heavy lifting when tracking down those they had been tasked with serving legal documents. They had to pound the pavement and act like sleuths to gather information on their subjects gradually. There wasn’t much technology to streamline things and make it easier for everyone involved.

This has all changed within a relatively short time. Today, there is so much technology out there that process servers use to perform skip tracing and tackle other tasks.

Here are a few examples of the types of technology we’re talking about:

GPS mapping applications that allow process servers to drive to even the most unfamiliar locations more efficiently
Advanced surveillance equipment, including everything from hidden body cameras to cameras with long-range lenses, that lets them keep a close eye on those they’re aiming to serve
Electronic databases that make it possible for them to keep the information they’ve collected about people organized and easily accessible

There are even apps they use to record proof of service and communicate with their clients. You should embrace this technology and fully take advantage of its many benefits.

At the same time, you shouldn’t rely on technology so much that you can’t function without it. For instance, knowing how to navigate the Miami-Dade area without a GPS is a skill you should master. It will prevent you from encountering problems if your GPS stops working and suddenly can’t tell you every turn to make while driving to a home or business to serve someone with legal documents.

4. Know How To Blend in With Your Surroundings

In the days leading up to serving a person with legal documents, you should do everything you can to avoid tipping them off about what’s to come. If they have any suspicions, there is always a chance they could skip town, making it significantly harder to serve them.

You should continue taking this same approach until you serve a person and walk away with an affidavit of service. One of the best ways to do this is by dressing appropriately when it’s finally time to serve someone.

Pick out attire that will allow you to blend in with your surroundings so that the subject you’re chasing after doesn’t get a whiff of your scent and go back into hiding. Throw on something casual if you plan to serve them at home or something more professional if you plan to do it in a business setting.

5. Have a Heart

Process servers are often stereotyped as being bullies. People may think that they harass, intimidate, and even threaten those they’re trying to serve and the people around them. However, this really isn’t an accurate depiction of the professionals in our industry.

As a Miami-Dade process server, you will inevitably come across people who will make it their mission to make your job as challenging as possible. They will actively look for ways to get out of being served by any means. However, even in these instances, you should have empathy and understanding.

People being served are often scared of what’s happening. You will have more luck serving them when you show compassion and empathize with them instead of talking tough and making them feel more frightened.

When you take this approach rather than resorting to intimidating tactics, you might receive a much better response from those you serve. They may be more likely to cooperate based solely on your behavior.

Contact Us To See What Sets Our Process Servers in Miami-Dade Apart

Not everyone is cut out to work as a Miami-Dade process server. While it’s an exciting career for some, it can be daunting for others.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., our team uses tips like the ones listed here to show that they belong within this industry. We will provide you with the services you need to serve someone involved in a lawsuit with the necessary legal documents.

Call us at (844) 348-3111 to hear more about how we will help handle your case.

Are the investigation findings confidential?

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen explains why confidentiality is paramount when it comes to investigation findings. If you're concerned about protecting sensitive data during an investigation, understanding the confidentiality protocols is essential. Whether for legal cases, workplace inquiries, or other professional needs, ensuring the privacy of your investigation results is crucial to maintaining trust and compliance.

Why Is Confidentiality Important?

At Pro Process Servers , we understand the importance of keeping investigation findings secure. During an investigation, all collected and analyzed data is treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Access to these findings is restricted to authorized personnel and the client only, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected throughout the process. This approach not only ensures privacy but also builds trust between us and our clients.

Confidentiality Guidelines

We follow strict legal and ethical guidelines when handling investigation results. These guidelines ensure that:

Sensitive Information Is Protected: All data is stored securely and is only accessible to those authorized to view it.
Compliance Is Maintained: We adhere to privacy laws and confidentiality agreements to avoid potential legal issues or breaches.
Findings Are Not Disclosed Without Permission: Investigation results are only shared with the client or those with explicit permission to receive the information.

When Can Findings Be Shared?

While confidentiality is paramount, there are situations where findings may need to be disclosed. These could include legal obligations or explicit client instructions. However, even in these cases, we work closely with our clients to ensure that their interests are protected.

Contact Us for Secure Investigations

If you need a confidential investigation, Pro Process Servers is here to ensure your privacy. Our team is committed to safeguarding sensitive data throughout the process.

Contact us today to learn more about how we handle investigation findings with the utmost confidentiality.

Can you explain how social media checks are performed?

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen explains the process of conducting social media checks and how these reviews can provide valuable insights in various legal and professional contexts. Understanding how social media checks work is essential for anyone involved in investigations, legal cases, or employment screenings.

What Are Social Media Checks?

Social media checks involve reviewing an individual’s online activities, posts, interactions, and connections across platforms. Licensed investigation agencies, like Pro Process Servers, have access to specialized databases that offer comprehensive social media monitoring. These tools allow investigators to gather detailed information about someone’s digital footprint.

How Are They Performed?

The process involves:

Accessing Specialized Databases: Licensed investigators use databases designed to aggregate publicly available social media data securely.
Analyzing Online Activity: Posts, comments, and connections are reviewed to identify patterns, behaviors, and any content that might be relevant to a case.
Ensuring Legal Compliance: All checks are conducted in adherence to privacy laws and ethical guidelines, protecting both the client and the individual being investigated.
Providing Detailed Reports: The findings are compiled into thorough reports, offering actionable insights that can support legal proceedings, employment decisions, or other professional needs.

Why Use Social Media Checks?

Social media checks can uncover hidden insights that traditional investigations may miss. For example, they can reveal relevant connections, questionable behavior, or even evidence critical to building a strong legal case.

Take the Next Step

If you need expert assistance in gathering social media insights, Pro Process Servers is here to help. Our team uses advanced tools and ethical practices to ensure accurate and reliable results.

Contact us today to learn more about how our social media checks can support your legal or professional needs.

Orlando Process Server

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Do you need a certified process server to deliver legal papers on your behalf? Our Orlando process servers have been delivering summonses, subpoenas, complaints, and other documents across the city for over 25 years. We also have access to a network of process servers nationwide, promoting the timely delivery of your documentation no matter where the recipient is located.

Keep your legal action on track and leave the documentation delivery in the hands of our professionals. Contact Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. today to learn more.

What Is Service of Process?

Service of process is a legal procedure that involves giving official notice to a party involved in judicial action. In Florida, only certified process servers and law enforcement officers can serve legal documents. You cannot hand these documents to the recipient yourself or send them through the mail; you must follow the service of process procedure.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. has been a trusted name in the Orlando process server industry for decades. We’re well versed in Florida’s unique protocols for service of process and follow them to a T, no matter what documents you need delivered. We also offer skip tracing services; leave it to our team to track down hard-to-reach defendants and serve your legal notice promptly.

Legal Documents We Deliver in Orlando

Throughout our 25+ years as Orlando process servers, we have delivered documents for virtually every type of legal case. Common documents we deliver include:

Summonses
Complaints
Court filings
Eviction notices
Subpoenas
Foreclosure notices
Divorce papers
Child custody agreements

The court will inform you whether you need a certified process server to deliver documents for you. Feel free to reach out to us directly if you are unsure whether service of process is necessary for any documentation.

We Make Document Delivery Simple

If you are initiating legal action or dealing with an ongoing case, you may feel in over your head. Document delivery shouldn’t add to the stress.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we make the process simple:

Request a quote via phone or contact form.
Email us the documents for service.
Check our online portal for status updates.
Receive a signed affidavit and invoice upon completion of the service.

We’ll take this process entirely off your shoulders while you focus on other aspects of the legal case.

Our Skip Tracing Services for Timely Document Delivery

Service of process requires the defendant to personally receive the legal documents, but this can be challenging when a defendant does not want to be found. Document recipients might stay at a friend’s house or even flee the state to avoid legal action.

Our Orlando process servers offer reliable skip tracing services to track down hard-to-reach defendants. Our team consists of trained skip tracers and skilled private investigators who know how to find recipients quickly. We employ tactics like social media checks, database sweeps, surveillance, and more to fulfill the service of process requirements.

While we spend time tracking down the defendant, you can continue working on your legal case.

Request a Quote From Our Orlando Process Servers

You shouldn’t need to wait another day to initiate legal action and start moving forward with your life. Our Orlando process servers are ready to help you take this step with reliable, fast service of process. Whether you need to serve divorce documents to a soon-to-be-ex spouse or a court summons to the at-fault driver in a car accident, we can help.

Request a quote today by calling Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 722-8835 or filling out our contact form; we will be in touch shortly to walk you through the next steps.

Can you serve documents to a business or corporation?

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen explains the process of serving legal documents to businesses or corporations. Whether you’re dealing with subpoenas, legal notices, or other critical paperwork, understanding the protocols for corporate service is essential to ensure compliance with legal standards.

Yes, documents can be served to a business or corporation, and Pro Process Servers is here to help. Our experienced team specializes in serving legal documents to various types of entities, ensuring that all services are completed accurately and according to legal requirements.

How Does the Process Work?

Serving documents to a business or corporation involves specific protocols that differ from serving individuals. This may include:

Delivering to Registered Agents: Many businesses designate registered agents to receive legal documents on their behalf.
Approaching Authorized Representatives: In some cases, documents can be served to officers, directors, or other authorized personnel.
Ensuring Compliance: Following legal procedures is critical to ensure that the service is valid and enforceable.

Our knowledge of these processes helps us deliver services efficiently while maintaining full compliance with legal standards.

Why Trust Pro Process Servers?

Serving corporate documents requires precision, expertise, and familiarity with the laws governing business entities. At Pro Process Servers, we understand these complexities and handle every service with professionalism and care.

Get Started Today

If you need legal documents served to a business or corporation, trust Pro Process Servers for fast, reliable, and compliant service. We prioritize accuracy and efficiency, ensuring your documents reach the right hands without delay.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist with your corporate service needs.

Choosing the Best Private Investigator in Broward County, FL: What To Look For

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:02 GMT

Are you seeking the services of a private investigator in Broward County, FL ?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida has over 3,600 private investigators , giving the Sunshine State the second-most PIs in the country, behind only California.

In fact, Florida has so many PIs that you could spend a long time researching them trying to locate the best option of the bunch, and still end up with the wrong PI on your side. So just make sure you look for specific attributes when considering PIs to put yourself in the position to narrow down your options.

Here is what you should look for when hunting for a PI in Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Davie, Plantation, or another part of Broward County.

Extensive Experience

Start your search for a private investigator in Broward County, FL, by generating a lengthy list of options. From there, visit each PI’s website and navigate to their “About Us” page to discover more about them.

Ideally, you want a PI with a wealth of experience handling your case. This experience will suggest that a PI is well versed in conducting different types of private investigations.

The more experience a PI has, the better you’ll feel about their chances of carrying out a successful investigation on your behalf.

Various PI Services

While on the websites of private investigators in Broward County, FL, take a good look at their “Services” page to see what types of PI services they provide.

The average PI should extend at least the following:

Background checks
Missing persons investigations
Infidelity investigations
Asset searches
Fraud detection

Whether you would like a PI to perform surveillance on a cheating spouse or look into a business partner’s financial records, you can count on them when they have more than enough experience in these areas.

Stellar Reputation

As you poke around on the website for a private investigator in Broward County, FL, you will undoubtedly notice that it will make them look like the best PI in the world. But you have to wonder: Would a PI’s past clients agree with the glowing assessment that a PI gives to themselves?

Answer this question by navigating away from the PI’s website and looking for reviews that their past clients have left on trustworthy platforms. Your search should focus on finding a PI that has racked up almost nothing but positive reviews, with very few negative ones in the mix.

Affordable Prices

Cost shouldn’t be the only thing you’re concerned about when searching for a private investigator in Broward County, FL. At the same time, you shouldn’t spend a ton of time trying to find a PI, only to learn that the one you like best charges more than you can afford to pay.

Create a budget for hiring a PI from the beginning and stick to it. As you inch closer to bringing a PI on board to handle your case, this is another factor you must consider.

Contact Us To Hire a Well-Respected Private Investigator in Broward County, FL

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., is here to help those needing a private investigator in Broward County, FL. We will provide you with the best PI in the business. Call us at (844) 722-8835 to hear more about our top-notch private investigation services.

How do I know my documents were served?

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:00:11 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen explains how Pro Process Servers ensures that your documents are served accurately and provides you with the necessary proof of service. Knowing your documents have been served is essential to maintaining confidence in the legal process, and our team makes sure you have peace of mind every step of the way.

Once your documents are served, we provide a signed Return of Service as confirmation. This crucial document verifies that the service has been successfully completed and includes important details, such as the date, time, and manner of service. These details ensure accuracy and compliance with legal standards, protecting your interests in any legal proceedings.

For added convenience, our Return of Service document is seamlessly merged with the endorsement page, making it ready for e-filing. This streamlined process saves you time and eliminates any unnecessary steps in your legal work.

Why Is Proof of Service Important?

Proof of service is more than just confirmation—it’s a legal safeguard. Whether you’re involved in a lawsuit, serving subpoenas, or handling other legal matters, having a detailed and accurate record of service ensures that the legal process proceeds smoothly. At Pro Process Servers, we prioritize professionalism and accuracy to protect your case and your peace of mind.

Get Reliable Service Today

When you trust Pro Process Servers with your document serving needs, you can be confident that every detail is handled with precision. From efficient service to providing comprehensive proof, we ensure your legal requirements are met with reliability and care.

Contact Us Now

Need documents served quickly and efficiently? Contact Pro Process Servers today and let our experienced team handle your case with the professionalism it deserves.

What information do I need to provide to have documents served?

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen explains the essential details required to ensure accurate and efficient service of legal documents. By preparing and submitting the right information upfront, you can streamline the process and ensure timely delivery of your papers.

To have documents served, you’ll need to provide the following:

Recipient’s Full Name and Address: Accurate identification and location are crucial for proper service.
Documents to Be Served: Include all necessary legal papers, such as subpoenas, summonses, or other court documents.
Special Instructions: If there are specific delivery requirements or conditions, share them with us to ensure precision.
Your Contact Information: Provide your details so we can communicate with you throughout the process.
Relevant Case Details: Information like the court name and case number ensures proper documentation and tracking.
Additional Details (if available): Any information about the recipient’s schedule, physical description, or habits can enhance efficiency.

Providing complete and accurate information not only expedites the service but also reduces the likelihood of errors or delays. Our team of experienced process servers is equipped to handle these details with professionalism and care, ensuring your legal documents are served promptly and effectively.

Why Choose Pro Process Servers?

At Pro Process Servers, we prioritize efficiency and accuracy. Whether it’s legal papers, subpoenas, or personal documents, we make the process straightforward and hassle-free.

Ready to Get Started?

If you need documents served quickly and efficiently, our experienced team is here to help. Contact us today to discuss your case and let us handle the rest. With our proven track record, you can trust us to deliver the results you need.

Can you provide rush service for urgent documents?

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen explains how Pro Process Servers delivers reliable rush services for urgent document needs. Whether you’re dealing with legal papers, business contracts, or personal files, our team is here to ensure your time-sensitive requests are handled with efficiency and professionalism.

When time is of the essence, our rush service prioritizes your urgent documents to meet even the tightest deadlines. We’re often able to complete requests within the same day, providing you with the quick turnaround you need without compromising on quality or security. Our experienced team ensures all documents are handled securely, giving you peace of mind throughout the process.

To keep you in the loop, we provide regular updates on the status of your request, so you always know where things stand. This transparency allows you to plan accordingly and stay focused on other important matters while we handle your urgent needs.

Preparing your documents for rush service? Be sure to include all required information upfront to speed up processing. Our streamlined approach ensures that everything is handled quickly and accurately, allowing us to deliver on our promise of dependable, expedited service.

Don’t let tight deadlines slow you down. Contact Pro Process Servers today for immediate assistance with your urgent document needs. With our proven track record and commitment to efficiency, you can trust us to deliver your documents on time and with care.

How do you ensure the privacy and confidentiality of your clients?

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:29:58 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen highlights the critical steps we take at Pro Process Servers to protect our clients' privacy and confidentiality. Whether you’re a legal professional, business owner, or individual, safeguarding your sensitive information is our top priority.

Handling private data is a significant responsibility, especially in fields like process serving, legal investigations, and skip tracing. To ensure your information stays secure, we employ state-of-the-art measures, including secure servers with robust access controls. All digital data is stored with advanced encryption, and access is restricted to authorized personnel only. These practices help prevent unauthorized access and maintain the integrity of your data throughout the process.

At Pro Process Servers, confidentiality isn’t just about technology—it’s embedded in our protocols. From the careful handling of documents to adherence to privacy laws and ethical standards, we are committed to protecting your information at every step. Our proven track record demonstrates our dedication to maintaining trust and upholding strict confidentiality for all our clients.

When you work with us, you can rest assured that your case details and sensitive information are handled with the highest level of professionalism and care. We understand the importance of privacy in legal matters and go above and beyond to meet your expectations.

Ready to work with a trusted partner? Contact us today to learn more about our privacy practices and how we can support your legal or investigative needs. With Pro Process Servers, you can trust that your information is in safe hands.

Can you skip tracing and locate someone who is actively avoiding detection?

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:27:51 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen discusses how skip tracing can be used to locate individuals who are intentionally avoiding detection. Whether it’s for legal purposes, debt recovery, or personal reasons, skip tracing is a powerful investigative tool to find people in challenging situations.

Skip tracing involves a combination of advanced techniques and access to specialized databases that compile information from various sources. These resources include public records, digital footprints, and other investigative data. At Pro Process Servers, our skilled team uses cutting-edge tools and collaborates with other investigative agencies to broaden our reach and increase the likelihood of success.

As Amaro highlights in the video, skip tracing is designed to gather intelligence on an individual’s movements and whereabouts, even if they are deliberately staying off the radar. This process is invaluable for attorneys, creditors, and individuals facing cases where locating someone is critical to resolving a legal or personal matter.

If you’re struggling to find someone, our expert skip tracers are ready to assist. By leveraging our expertise, resources, and a network of investigative tools, we can help you locate the individual you need to reach, no matter how elusive they may seem.

Need help locating someone who’s avoiding detection? Contact us today and let our professional skip tracing team guide you through the process. With our comprehensive approach and dedication to results, we’ll work with you to find the answers you need.

What is included in your background check reports?

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:25:16 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen from Pro Process Servers explains the critical elements of a comprehensive background check report. If you're looking to uncover detailed and accurate information about an individual, this video is an excellent starting point to understand the depth of our services.

A typical background check report includes essential personal details such as full name, aliases, date of birth, social security number, and address history. Beyond these basics, our reports provide insights into criminal convictions, civil case records, lawsuits, judgments, liens, bankruptcies, and even driving and vehicle records. For professionals, the report may also include verification of licenses and employment history, ensuring you get a complete view of the individual’s background.

Our process goes beyond surface-level details. As Amaro outlines, we meticulously verify data and highlight any discrepancies or red flags that could be crucial for your case, business decision, or personal need. Whether you’re screening potential employees, evaluating tenants, or preparing for litigation, our reports provide the insights necessary to make informed decisions with confidence.

At Pro Process Servers, we adhere to strict legal guidelines to protect privacy and ensure accuracy, offering you reliable and ethical background check solutions. Our goal is to deliver a full picture of the individual’s background so you can proceed with clarity and assurance.

Ready to see the whole picture? Contact us today for a free consultation and discover how our comprehensive background checks can support your legal, business, or personal needs.

Do I need the consent of the person being checked?

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:20:02 GMT

In the attached video, Amaro Hesen breaks down the critical question: Do you need someone's consent before conducting a background check?

This question often arises in legal, professional, and personal contexts, and understanding the rules surrounding consent can save you from potential legal and ethical complications.

For lawsuit attorneys, consent isn’t typically required to perform a background check during litigation. As explained in the video, attorneys have the authority to gather relevant information about all parties involved in a case. These checks are crucial for uncovering hidden assets, past criminal records, or other details that might impact the lawsuit's outcome. Comprehensive background checks help lawyers build stronger cases by offering a full view of the individuals involved, ensuring justice is pursued effectively.

However, as Amaro Hesen highlights, the necessity of consent varies depending on the scenario. Employers, landlords, or anyone conducting personal research must navigate different legal and ethical standards. In these cases, consent is often mandatory, and failing to obtain it could lead to severe legal repercussions. Transparency and adherence to guidelines are essential when conducting these checks, as unauthorized actions can result in costly lawsuits or reputational harm.

Whether you're an attorney, employer, or landlord, it’s vital to understand the nuances of background checks and consent requirements. To ensure you're on the right side of the law, it’s always best to consult with experienced professionals who can provide tailored advice based on your specific situation.

Ready to take the next step? If you have questions or need expert guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Contact us today for a confidential consultation and gain the clarity you need to proceed with confidence.

What Types of Documents Are Required for Process Service?

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:41:38 GMT

In this video, we detail everything you need to know about process service documents, explaining why each document is necessary and how it's used in legal proceedings. Our expert breaks down the requirements to ensure you're fully prepared for any legal challenge. Check out the full video above to gain a thorough understanding of the process service documentation.

What Factors Determine the Pricing of Process Service?

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:35:28 GMT

Understanding the pricing of process service is essential for individuals and businesses seeking to have legal documents served effectively and efficiently. While pricing structures may vary among process serving companies, several key factors typically influence the cost of service. Check out the full video above as we explore these factors to gain insight into how process service pricing is determined.

What Services Does Professional Process Servers and Investigators Provide?

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:29:20 GMT

This feature provides an in-depth look at how our team supports legal professionals and individuals through detailed investigations and diligent process serving. From conducting thorough background checks to executing precise document deliveries, our experts ensure high standards of accuracy and confidentiality. Watch the full video above to understand how we can assist you with your specific legal services needs.

Safeguarding Confidential Information During Investigations

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:07 GMT

Would you like to hire a private investigator to launch an investigation? Don’t bring one on board until you’re sure they know how to safeguard confidential investigations from beginning to end.

Information security should be of the utmost importance to the private investigator you work with. This will ensure the information that a private investigator collects on your behalf doesn’t fall into the wrong hands or alert the subject you’re interested in investigating to the fact that you’re monitoring them.

It doesn’t matter whether you ask a private investigator to do some digging into an auto accident case or provide surveillance on someone you need to serve legal documents soon. See to it that they utilize the following methods to safeguard confidential information throughout their investigation.

Setting Up Secure Communication Channels

As a private investigator uncovers information during an investigation, they may want to share some of it with you along the way. However, they shouldn’t simply send it to you via text or email, which could compromise its confidentiality.

These days, many private investigators safeguard confidential investigations by utilizing data encryption. They communicate with their clients and provide them with confidential information by using:

• Encrypted emails

• Secure file-sharing services

• Private phone numbers

Creating Secure Storage Areas for Confidential Information

In addition to being extra careful when they communicate with you about the confidential information they’re unearthing during their investigation, a private investigator should also guarantee that this information will be stored in secure areas.

Any digital information that a private investigator gathers should be encrypted and placed on a password-protected hard drive that isn’t connected to the internet. Any documents and other physical information they gather should go directly into locked filing cabinets.

Ensure a private investigator has a surefire system to protect confidential information at all costs.

Implementing Non-Disclosure Agreements

If a private investigator needs to speak with certain people as part of an investigation, non-disclosure agreements can come in handy. Known as NDAs for short, they’ll stop these people from disclosing any information about your investigation to others.

Just be sure you see to it that a private investigator keeps legal compliance in mind when employing NDAs during an investigation. NDA laws vary from one state to the next, which may cause complications within your investigation.

Training Other Employees To Maintain Confidentiality

A private investigator might go above and beyond to safeguard confidential investigations, but will their employees follow their lead? Not all private investigators take client privacy as seriously as they should by providing confidentiality training to their employees.

Search for a private investigator with strong ethical standards and a desire to keep any information they collect during your investigation confidential. They will have employees working for them who will stop this information from leaking and possibly ruining all the hard work a private investigator has put in.

Trust Us To Safeguard Confidential Investigations by Taking the Right Steps

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we strive to safeguard confidential investigations for our clients. Whether you need us to perform a private investigation after a car accident or you wish to quietly investigate a business partner who may be engaging in illegal acts, you can rely on us to get the job done. You can also count on us to keep the information we find during an investigation safe and secure at all times.

How Private Investigators Assist in Asset Recovery Cases

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Do you suspect your soon-to-be ex-spouse of trying to hide assets during your ongoing divorce proceedings, or has a former business partner skipped town with some of your company’s assets and refused to give them back? These are just two of the many types of cases that asset recovery private investigators can assist you with when you call on them for help.

Private investigators specializing in asset recovery can also lend a hand in the aftermath of lawsuits by carrying out judgment enforcement. If the defendant in a lawsuit has hidden assets to prevent you from obtaining them, these investigators can locate them and essentially force them to provide the compensation you’re owed.

So, how do asset recovery private investigators assist in asset recovery cases? Below, learn about the top techniques utilized by these PIs.

Conducting Public Record Searches

When you hire private asset recovery investigators to help with an asset recovery case, one of the first things they do is conduct a series of public record searches to track down your missing assets. This old-school method of recovering assets continues to be reliable for many PIs. Your PI will be accustomed to the tediousness of the task, allowing you to focus on more important things while they work for you in the background.

An asset recovery private investigator will sift through the following:

Property records
Vehicle registrations
Business ownership documents

By doing this, they may locate missing assets quickly. These assets could very well be hiding in plain sight where asset recovery PIs can find them.

Performing Surveillance and Holding Interviews

Unfortunately, asset recovery private investigators aren’t always able to pinpoint the locations of missing assets simply by searching public records. They may have to conduct a more personalized investigation while pursuing these assets on your behalf.

This may involve these asset recovery PIs performing surveillance on the spouse that you’re in the process of divorcing or the shady business partner who moved across the country after parting ways with your company. This could help uncover the whereabouts of missing assets.

Additionally, asset recovery PIs will often hold interviews with people familiar with someone you’re trying to track down to reclaim assets. These people may point them in the right direction as they aim to retrieve these assets.

PIs will also ensure they remain in legal compliance while carrying out these types of tasks. They won’t do anything to jeopardize your chances of getting your missing assets back in a timely fashion.

Using the Latest Asset Tracing Technology

Asset recovery private investigators have more technological tools at their disposal than ever before. They can, for example, use digital forensics and forensic accounting to examine everything from bank accounts to tax returns in pursuit of your missing assets.

Some asset recovery PIs even use data analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain analysis to hunt down more complex digital assets, such as cryptocurrency. You can rely on them to leave no stone unturned.

Hire the Best Asset Recovery Private Investigators in the Business

Are you having a tough time finding assets that were taken under suspicious circumstances? You might not think there is any possible way you can recover them, especially if you aren’t 100% sure who took them in the first place.

The asset recovery private investigators from Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. are here to help. We will pull out all the stops while searching for your missing assets and provide you with a steady stream of updates on our investigation.

Should Businesses Conduct Regular Employee Background Checks?

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:00:09 GMT

According to the Professional Background Screening Association, over 90% of American employers conduct employee background checks before bringing new hires on board at their companies. Some have also started conducting ongoing background checks on employees after they’re hired.

Should more businesses begin implementing an employee screening policy that includes regular background checks on employees? Let’s look at the possible benefits and potential drawbacks associated with business owners carrying out these background checks before you make a decision either way.

Why Businesses Conducting Regular Employee Background Checks Is Smart

Risk mitigation should be at the forefront of every business owner’s mind. Companies must work to reduce risks related to theft, workplace violence, and employee safety and well-being at all times.

One effective way to do this is to perform regular employee background checks. This allows employers to spot signs of trouble by monitoring their employees’ lives outside of work.

For example, a company could find that an employee was recently arrested on a violent felony charge while conducting a background check and evaluating their criminal record. This could suggest that this person could create workplace security issues while on the job.

A company could also discover that an employee was recently charged with a DUI by conducting an ongoing background check and evaluating their driving record. This could make a business owner think twice about allowing this employee to use certain heavy machinery while at work.

If nothing else, these routine background checks will keep employees on their toes and hopefully encourage them to be forthright with their employers about any legal problems they might be facing. They’ll also serve as trustworthiness assessments and keep employees honest about any personal issues that could affect their work performance.

How Businesses Conducting Regular Employee Background Checks Could Backfire

Conducting regular employee background checks can generally benefit companies. These checks mitigate risks that might not otherwise appear on employers’ radars.

However, there are instances in which these background checks could backfire. If, for example, a business hires the wrong company to conduct background checks on employees and this company inadvertently informs the employees in question that they’re being investigated, it could create trust issues between an employer and their employees. It could even impact the company’s brand reputation and make it difficult for the business owner to build a strong and committed team.

Routine background checks could also uncover personal information about employees that they would rather not share with their employers, such as break-ups, family troubles, or financial issues. This may create an unhealthy dynamic between an employer and some of their employees.

Companies planning to conduct regular background checks on employees must avoid these situations at all costs by hiring the right private investigators . This will enable them to soak up all the benefits of performing these background checks without experiencing any of the disadvantages of doing so.

Contact Us To Learn More About How Ongoing Background Checks Can Benefit Your Business

Conducting regular employee background checks will help your company keep a closer eye on its employees. It might also unearth important information about your employees and minimize incidents involving workplace thefts and violence.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. can help your company carry out ongoing background checks on employees. Contact us at (844) 348-3111 to hear more about how they work.

How Technology Is Changing the Process Serving Industry

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 02:44:28 GMT

Process servers have always utilized technology to some degree. They have, for example, relied on different databases to provide them with property records and DMV records they could use to track people down. However, technology in process serving has changed dramatically in recent years and has made it even more important to process servers.

Skip tracing software is one of the prime examples of this. Instead of having to sift through public records manually, process servers can use this software to automatically search through the records stored in various digital databases.

There are also many other examples of new-age technology in process serving that makes life easier for process servers. Learn more about them below.

Mobile Apps

Many process servers used to have to carry file folders around filled with all the information they needed to serve legal documents. Thankfully, this isn’t the case anymore, thanks to the mobile apps that most process servers rely on these days.

Process servers use mobile apps to:

Gain access to legal documents
Keep track of a person’s whereabouts while trying to serve them
Receive updates on the process serving cases they’re working on

These mobile apps also often include secure messaging systems that allow users to communicate with clients and team members, keeping everyone on the same page during a case.

GPS Tracking

GPS tracking is another technological tool that works wonders for process servers. It can help them keep tabs on the people they’re trying to track down while allowing their clients to monitor their attempts to serve them legal documents.

Certain GPS-enabled devices even make it possible for process servers to indicate exactly when and where a person was served legal documents. They can pass this information along to clients to keep them happy by informing them of developments during cases.

Digital Document Management Systems

Trying to keep documents organized during process serving used to be a tall task for many process servers. However, the advancements that have been made to thetechnology in process serving have changed this.

Digital document management systems ensure process servers can:

Store documents
Manage documents and find them easily
Track electronic documents when they’re sent out to clients

Electronic Service of Process

Electronic service of process (e-Service) has completely changed the game for process servers. In some states, they’re now allowed to digitally serve people with legal documents through email, social media, etc., and collect electronic signatures from them.

Process servers need to ensure they remain in legal compliance when considering e-Service as an option. Federal Rule 4(e)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allows e-Service in some states but not others.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is already making a huge splash in many other industries, and it’s also starting to make waves in the process serving industry. Some process servers are using AI to:

Verify people’s personal information
Analyze people’s data, including litigation-related information
Identify possible red flags that could impact their ability to find people

Expect to see process servers use AI to carry out other tasks soon as the technology continues to evolve.

See How We’ve Embraced Technology in Process Serving by Contacting Us Today

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we have fully embraced technology in process serving. We’re always on the lookout for new technological tools that can help us track down subjects and serve them more efficiently.

Are you interested in hearing about the technology we utilize during process serving jobs? Get in touch with us by calling (844) 722-8835 today to speak with an experienced process server about it.

Skip Tracing vs. Background Checks: Understanding the Differences

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 01:00:00 GMT

When entering into a business partnership or a personal relationship with someone, you want to be certain that person is trustworthy. If you choose to trust that person on blind faith, you could end up being the victim of fraud or theft. Learning the difference in skip tracing vs. background checks can help you avoid becoming a victim or gain justice for a theft.

A background check helps you determine the trustworthiness of a person before you enter into a relationship, while skip tracing helps you track down someone who possibly stole from you or defrauded you.

Why Background Checks Are Important

A background check from a professional firm lets you source public records to investigate a person’s background. You can see things like credit reports and criminal histories. You can even match employment verification with what appears on a resume, ensuring the person is telling the truth.

Some people use a background check for personal relationships, too. Non-profit organizations may use background checks to ensure volunteers are safe to work with the elderly or children.

When you hire a professional firm to do a background check, some of the information uncovered may include any civil and tax liens they have and their driving history.

With this information in hand before entering into an agreement, you have a better chance of avoiding becoming a victim of fraud. Perhaps the background check shows multiple convictions for theft in a person’s criminal history. You may not want to hire this person for a job where access to company resources or petty cash is possible.

When You Should Turn to Skip Tracing vs. Background Checks

Should someone exit a relationship with you after committing fraud or theft, they probably don’t want you tracking them down, in which case you could turn to skip tracing to find them.

Organizations that may use skip tracing include:

Private investigators
Debt collection agencies
Lawyers
Law enforcement

When you hire a private investigator to find someone, this professional can use a credit report to look for any new lines of credit opened by the person. This information may lead to a new address and location, allowing for closer surveillance.

Background checks that include current employment records or new criminal charges could also be helpful when skip tracing.

Understanding Skip Tracing vs. Background Checks

Because of their similarities, skip tracing and background checks are easy to confuse. Both processes involve using public records, credit reports, and other records.

Background Checks Can Occur During Skip Tracing

Investigators may use background checks when they deploy skip tracing. However, not all skip tracing efforts require a full background check.

Background checks for things like employment or volunteering with an organization will not involve skip tracing.

Background Checks Are a Normal Part of Employment

When an employer or another person deploys a background check on you, it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Background checks can be a means of identity verification.

Skip tracing typically enters the picture when a person violates the law or backs out of an agreement, causing financial harm to the other party.

We Can Help With All Your Background Check and Skip Tracing Needs

Understanding skip tracing vs. background checks can be a challenge. At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we can explain the difference. We’ll help you understand how to use skip-tracing services to recover business assets . We can also deliver any background checks you need for new employees , new business partners, or any other reason.

Call us today at (844) 722-8835 to learn more about how we can help.

Background Check

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 02:14:23 GMT

Trust our thorough professionalism when you need background checks performed — call today!

Before you hire someone, choose to enter a business contract, or accept a volunteer for your organization, you need to verify that person’s information. Background checks provide this key service, giving you peace of mind. Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. provides hassle-free background checks.

Learn more about how background checks work and how our team helps you remain in compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations.

What Do Background Checks Reveal?

Our team searches public records through a background check to learn more about the person in question. We can find information related to:

Credit reporting
Criminal history
Civil liens
Tax liens
Driving history
Appearance on a sex offender list

We could also screen any information the person shared with you, such as previous employment or educational background. We simply attempt to verify the information provided.

We can find information about the individual dating back at least seven years. Depending on the circumstances and details involved in the background check, we may be able to obtain information that’s older than seven years.

Reasons for Performing a Background Check

One of the most common reasons for performing background checks relates to hiring employees. A job candidate may send you a resume and tell you certain information during a job interview, but how truthful is the information?

A background check can help ensure the candidate is honest about criminal history, financial problems, and academic achievements.

Beyond using this process to verify the facts about a potential employee, other reasons to run a background check include:

Partnership: If you are entering a business partnership or another type of agreement with someone, you may want to verify their information with a background check.
Personal: You simply may want to verify someone’s identity before entering a personal relationship with them.
Renters: Before renting property to someone, you might run a background check to verify financial and personal information.
Volunteers: A non-profit may need to run background checks on volunteers to protect themselves legally, especially organizations that cater to children.
Yourself: Some people run a background check on themselves, looking for fraudulent information that could harm their ability to gain employment.

It’s easier to make an informed decision about whether to continue a relationship with someone when you are certain they have been truthful with you about their past and present circumstances. A background check from a professional agency is the easiest way to obtain information you can trust.

Types of Background Checks Available

A background check can reveal many different types of information, depending on the service you select.

Personal records: A general background check provides information about driving records, criminal history, financial liens, social media history, and more.
Criminal records: A background check can also focus on criminal records, looking for offenses that might disqualify someone from employment or another type of relationship with you.
Employment history: Does a job candidate have the experience listed on the resume? We can perform past employment verification as part of the check. We may also be able to verify membership in professional organizations and any licenses held.
Educational background: We can verify the educational background of a job candidate, ensuring a resume is accurate. Education verification is especially important for someone who will be a public representative of your business or organization. Inaccurate information from this person could reflect poorly on you and cause you to lose the trust of the public.
Tenant screening: It is helpful to have a screening background check before renting a retail site, office building, or apartment to someone. This information may include credit checks, rental history, and criminal information.
Business record: Before signing a contract with a contractor, vendor, or partner, a background check can verify financial information and reveal any criminal history.

Selecting the type of background check depends on the type of due diligence you want to do for a certain person. A simple background check may be adequate for hiring someone for an entry-level job, but someone who will handle payroll or sensitive business information may need a more thorough screening.

Laws Related to Background Checks

Florida statute 943.0452 requires certain types of businesses to check employees if they provide care or supervision for children, the elderly, or people with disabilities. Employers can work with a consumer reporting agency (CRA) through these legally required background checks.

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) protects the person against whom the background check is occurring. Businesses must adhere to the FCRA when performing these checks. Typically, the FCRA limits a background check to pulling information about the past seven years of a candidate’s life. Deeper checks that go back farther are possible in some circumstances.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the FCRA prevents background checks from showing things including:

Medical information
Genetic information
Information related to race or sexual orientation

According to the FCRA, the person against whom the background check is occurring has the right to know what the check finds. That person has the right to dispute any information believed to be inaccurate.

Timing of Background Checks

For most businesses and organizations, the background check is one of the last steps. Most businesses would not ask the dozens of people who apply for a particular job to submit to a background check, for example. The check typically occurs after other screenings take place. Some businesses wait to do any background checks until the potential job candidate accepts a verbal offer of a position.

You nearly always must have written permission from someone to run a background check for employment. This means waiting until you reach the end of the hiring process to run a check is far more efficient.

The potential employee has the right to refuse to submit to a background check. As the employer, you may choose whether you still want to hire the person.

How Long Does a Background Check Take?

The typical background check requires two to five business days to complete. However, some complex checks can take more time.

If you need a fingerprint check to verify a criminal history fully, this process can take up to 10 business days. If the person requires an international background check, the process can take up to 15 days.

Should the person fail to provide accurate identification information, the background check could encounter delays. If some records require a manual search, the process could take longer, too.

Benefits of Our Background Checks

When you use our background check services, you receive several benefits:

We provide real-time data that’s up to date and accurate.
We follow all legal requirements, protecting you now and in the future.
We use the latest security protocols, ensuring privacy and confidentiality.

Contact Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. Today

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we offer more than background checks, including process server and private investigation services . We have three decades of experience helping law firms, employers, and others who need these key services.

Our background check services can be invaluable in protecting you and your business from fraud or legal problems. Call us today at (844) 722-8835 to see what we can do for you.

How Do You Deal With Someone Avoiding Process Service in Florida?

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 01:00:00 GMT

When attempting to notify someone of pending legal action, you may need to serve them with documents. However, when someone wants to avoid dealing with legal action, that person might try to dodge the service process. Process service in Florida can become easier when you hire a process server.

Even when individuals are attempting to evade the process service, professional process servers have strategies they can deploy. Learn more about the strategies and actions that the process server may take on your behalf for a successful outcome.

Using Substitute Service

Florida allows substitute service when serving recipients with legal documents proves difficult. Process servers can leave the documents with anyone over the age of 15 in the recipient’s home to meet the legal requirements of substitute service.

State law requires process servers to perform a genuine search and make an effort to locate the individual before using a substitute service. They must keep records of these efforts, including any skip tracing efforts performed.

Although most process servers attempt to perform direct service whenever possible, substitute service is a possible solution to someone evading the process service.

Managing Hours for Process Service in Florida

Process service in Florida must follow a few rules regarding the time of day for performing the action.

Florida is less restrictive about when process servers can serve documents than other states. Process servers cannot serve documents on Sundays without a court order exemption. Outside of this restriction, they have no limitations on the time of day service can occur.

When dealing with evasion of service, a server in Florida may attempt to provide service at an unusual hour, hoping to catch the recipient off guard.

Taking Steps To Prepare

When someone is evading the serving of the legal documents, the process server can take several steps to try to complete the action.

Studying the person’s habits and travel patterns
Monitoring the person’s social media presence
Running a background check to learn important information
Using technology like GPS tracking

In some situations, the process service may require performing stakeouts. However, because stakeouts require time and expense, process servers try other steps first.

An experienced process server can use a mixture of experience and creativity to take steps to prepare to find the recipient in a legal manner.

Following Laws for Process Service

Legal compliance is vital for any process service in Florida. Steps your professional process servers take to maintain the legality of the process include the following:

No trespassing: Process servers cannot trespass to deliver legal documents without permission from the court.
Service by publication: If the process server cannot locate the individual, Florida courts may allow service by publication. The process server must publish a notification of the service in a local newspaper.
Completion of process service: Upon completion of the service, the process server must write out an Affidavit of Service. This specifies the time and date of the service, as well as the recipient.

Any process server you select must understand the legal boundaries related to this process. A process service that violates legal rules could result in delays or a dismissal of the claim.

We Can Help With Your Process Server Needs

No matter how complex you expect the process service action to be in your case, we can help.

We have experience with challenging process service scenarios , finding ways to complete the job successfully and in a timely manner. You can trust us to follow the legal requirements in Florida, including holding the proper certifications to do this job. Call Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. today at (844) 722-8835 for process service in Florida.

Enhancing Legal Cases With Private Investigators for Attorneys

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:01:59 GMT

Most U.S. attorneys struggle with work-life balance issues. A recent report revealed that nearly 90% of American lawyers work outside the normal 9-to-6 workday. It also discovered over 40% of them regularly work on weekends.

A great way for lawyers to get back to leading at least somewhat normal lives is to hire private investigators to help. There are private investigators for attorneys who specialize in taking some of the work these lawyers would usually have to do themselves off their plates.

At the same time, these private investigators can do more than just reduce lawyers’ workloads. They can also assist them in putting together more compelling cases for their clients overall.

Here are several ways private investigators for lawyers can help enhance their legal cases.

The Importance of Surveillance Investigators for Attorneys

In the legal field, surveillance plays a critical role in gathering evidence and building strong cases. For attorneys, hiring professional surveillance investigators can make a significant difference in the outcome of their cases. Here are key reasons why surveillance investigators are essential for legal professionals:

1. Accurate Evidence Collection

Surveillance investigators are skilled in capturing real-time evidence through video and photography. This can include monitoring a subject’s activities, verifying alibis, or documenting injuries. Accurate, visual evidence can be compelling in court and strengthen an attorney’s case.

2. Uncovering Fraud

In cases involving personal injury claims, insurance fraud, or worker’s compensation, surveillance can reveal fraudulent activities. Investigators can document whether an individual’s behavior aligns with their claims, helping attorneys expose deceit and protect their clients' interests.

3. Witness Location and Monitoring

Finding and keeping tabs on key witnesses can be crucial. Surveillance investigators can track down witnesses and monitor their activities, ensuring that they are reliable and available when needed.

4. Discrete and Legal Operations

Professional investigators conduct surveillance within the bounds of the law, ensuring that the evidence gathered is admissible in court. Their discretion and adherence to legal standards prevent complications that could arise from improperly obtained evidence.

5. Time and Resource Efficiency

Surveillance requires significant time and specialized equipment. By hiring investigators, attorneys can focus on legal strategy and client representation, while investigators handle the demanding task of surveillance.

Conclusion

For attorneys, the expertise of surveillance investigators is invaluable. They provide critical evidence, uncover fraud, monitor key individuals, and do so legally and efficiently. By incorporating surveillance investigators into their practice, attorneys can enhance their ability to achieve favorable outcomes for their clients.

Performing Background Checks

As a lawyer, you likely perform your fair share of background checks on those involved in the cases you’re working on. Private investigators for attorneys can not only carry out these background checks but also perform them better than you can yourself, thanks to the many resources they have at their fingertips.

A private investigator can perform an in-depth background check that includes:

Criminal history
Credit history
Address verification
Income verification
Asset searches
Known aliases
Family connections

They can even go as far as to run a character background check on someone you plan to have testify during a case. It could uncover information that may make you think twice about doing it. It won’t take long to see how invaluable background checks are to many cases.

Going Through the Evidence Gathering Process

The more evidence you can collect as a lawyer, the stronger you can make your cases while piecing them together. Unfortunately, the evidence gathering process is often time-consuming and tedious, especially if you don’t know exactly where to look for the evidence you need.

This is yet another area where private investigators for attorneys can help. You can send them on fact finding missions if you’re looking for specific information concerning a case. You can also have them perform surveillance on a person or place to gather evidence to help prove a point in a case.

Lawyers aren’t typically the ones out canvassing corners in the hopes of unearthing key evidence that can come in handy during cases. However, they also can’t always count on law enforcement to drop this evidence off at their front doors. A private investigator can bridge this gap by procuring evidence to further enhance legal cases for attorneys.

Conducting Witness Interviews

In addition to collecting as much evidence as they can, lawyers often round up as many witnesses as possible to strengthen the arguments they plan to make in court. They then need to interview each of these witnesses, which can take a long time, especially when a case involves dozens of witnesses.

Private investigators for attorneys can step in and lend a hand with witness interviews. They can gather useful information from these witnesses and even help lawyers decide whether they should call on witnesses to testify in court later when developing their legal strategies.

Make Hiring Private Investigators for Attorneys Part of Your Law Firm’s Operation

Many lawyers are left to burn the candle at both ends almost daily. This can take a toll on their physical and mental health and, if they aren't careful, even hurt their cases in the long run.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. can provide private investigators for attorneys. Call us at (844) 530-0255 to find out more about how our PIs can assist you with legal cases.

Techniques and Tools Used in Skip Tracing: How Tracing Professionals Locate Hard-to-Find Witnesses and Evasive Individuals

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:00:58 GMT

Are you a lawyer having difficulty tracking down a potential witness for a case or a debt recovery specialist struggling to locate someone refusing to settle an outstanding bill? Skip tracing professionals are here to help you find them once and for all.

In this day and age, it isn’t quite as easy for people to disappear without a trace as it once was. We have access to a wide range of skip tracing techniques and tools that make it possible to find almost anyone in the country.

Below, discover more about the tools we’ll utilize to undercover the whereabouts of a hard-to-find witness or another evasive individual and when they might be necessary

Database Searches

Our skip tracing professionals bring the perfect blend of experience and expertise to the table. They also have the ability to search comprehensive databases to find a wealth of information. These databases are capable of taking basic information about a person, like their name and possible location, and providing a long list of:

Potential name changes or aliases a person has used
Current and former addresses
Phone numbers
Email addresses
Past and current places of employment

In addition to coming in handy during the skip tracing process, these databases are useful tools for anyone conducting background checks . It’s another service our skip tracing professionals can provide. We can offer background checks to employers, landlords, and anyone else who wants to learn more about a person before associating with them.

Public Records

Another tool that our skip tracing professionals turn to time and time again when carrying out searches for people is public records. Anyone is free to access public records to find out more about a person they’re trying to find. However, you need to know where to look for and how to access them for these records to be of any assistance.

Our skip tracing professionals can pull public records, such as:

Real estate documents and deeds
Vehicle registrations
Tax bills
Arrest records
Voter registrations

We make it our mission to leave no stone unturned while searching high and low for public records related to a person. These records can provide us with a better indication of where a person may be hiding out in an attempt to evade you.

Social Media Analysis

According to a recent survey, the average American has about seven social media accounts . Most Americans are active on at least one or two social media sites. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are just a few of the most popular social media platforms in the U.S.

Our skip tracing professional can complete a full social media analysis on a person who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. There is a good chance we can find at least some information on a person through either their social media activity or the social media activity of a close family member or friend.

Social media has become an invaluable tool for many skip tracing professionals. It’s another resource we’ll have in our arsenal when you bring us on board to perform the necessary skip tracing in your case.

Hire Our Skip Tracing Professionals To Help You Conduct a Thorough Search for an Individual

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. can provide the skip tracing professionals you need to find someone who has slipped off your radar. They’ll come equipped with the techniques and tools to launch a successful search from the start.

Call us at (844) 530-0255 for more information on our skip tracing services.

How Technology Helps Modern Process Servers

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Once upon a time, one of the first things a process server did when preparing to track someone down to serve them legal documents was look them up in the phone book. If their name was listed, it was a quick way to find their address and phone number.

Modern process servers have abandoned this approach. Instead, many process servers start their search for someone by Googling their name . It’s a more efficient method for getting general information and determining whether additional steps may be necessary.

This is just one of the many ways technology is taking on a bigger role in modern service of process . Check out how else technology is doing it below.

Staying Organized With Electronic Document Management Systems

Modern process servers are responsible for serving people with many different types of legal documents . These include:

Subpoenas
Summonses
Writs
Divorce papers
Bankruptcy petitions
Eviction notices

Because of this, process servers are always juggling paperwork. For a long time, they needed physical filing systems to remain organized.

Today, process servers can invest in electronic document management systems to accept files from clients and keep them organized. They don’t need to devote office space to computer equipment to store these systems. Cloud-based platforms are available that allow them to store files securely while making them easily accessible from anywhere.

Using Social Media To Perform Skip Tracing

Modern process servers are experts at skip tracing , a process that involves using a multitude of resources to locate a person trying hard to stay out of sight.

Process servers can perform skip tracing by:

Searching through comprehensive databases to find accurate names, addresses, phone numbers, etc., for a person
Using public records to see whether they can secure real estate or vehicle ownership documents related to a person
Looking for voter registrations and utility bills for a person to gather information on them

However, the simplest way to perform skip tracing in 2024 is by turning to social media. Nearly 70% of Americans have Facebook accounts, and almost half have Instagram accounts. A process server may get lucky and unearth a person’s whereabouts so they can serve them by sorting through social media posts.

Setting Up Mobile Applications To Keep Clients Informed

Many modern process servers make it possible for their clients to follow along with their progress as they try to serve someone legal documents. They use mobile applications that let clients see their every move.

A process server can open a mobile app and take the following steps:

They’ll look at a job they’ve been assigned and get all the necessary details on what a client needs them to do.
They’ll attempt to serve legal documents to an intended target while providing information on service attempts.
They’ll send clients photographs of the places they’ve tried to serve a person and rely on GPS tracking to send their exact locations.
They’ll upload a complete affidavit once they’ve successfully served a person.
They’ll save all relevant information and send it to a client with a final bill.

Some modern process servers are even starting to offer electronic service of process. It allows them to serve people digitally, making the entire process easier than ever.

Our Modern Process Servers Use Technology To Produce Results

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we’re constantly on the lookout for new technological tools we can use to serve people legal documents faster. At the same time, we count on our experience and expertise to tackle even the toughest service of process jobs.

Call us at (844) 530-0255 to hear how our modern process servers can assist you.

How Legal Investigations Can Influence the Outcome of a Case

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:47 GMT

Insufficient evidence is one of the biggest legal hurdles many attorneys face. If they can’t collect enough evidence to create compelling cases, judges often dismiss them without even bothering to render rulings. Conducting thorough legal investigations is an effective way for lawyers to gather more than enough evidence to strengthen their court cases.

Is your law firm preparing to take a criminal case to court? Do more than rely on law enforcement to deliver the evidence you’ll need to build a successful case. Launch your own legal investigation and leave no stone unturned to uncover public records and other evidence that can prove criminal activities took place.

Discover more about how legal investigations can influence the outcome of a case by reading below.

Provides Different Types of Evidence for a Case

It isn’t enough to gather a mountain of evidence when putting together a court case to put it through the legal system. You also need to collect as many different types of evidence for a case as possible. This is exactly what lawyers look for when conducting legal investigations while readying themselves for cases.

A legal investigation can provide a variety of evidence, such as the following:

Photographs
Surveillance videos
Witness statements
Social media posts
Public records
Tag searches

Law enforcement might secure some of these types of evidence during their initial investigation into a case. However, depending on the scope of the case, they might not track down all of them. Legal investigations will ensure you can locate as much evidence as possible before heading to court to give yourself a fighting chance at achieving a satisfactory outcome.

Delivers Evidence Designed To Make a Bigger Impact in a Case

It’s one thing to stand before a judge and jury during a case and present evidence based on things you’ve heard from those involved. It’s quite another to show a judge and jury photos, videos, etc., that lend credence to your words since they’ll make a much stronger impact overall.

There is, of course, a chance that such evidence might not exist. But it’s still worth trying to access as much of it as possible through a professional legal investigation. Without it, you might not have a leg to stand on.

Seeing all the evidence an experienced private investigator can find might surprise you, transforming an otherwise weak case into one that seems more like a slam dunk.

Helps Paint a Clearer Picture of the Circumstances Surrounding a Case

The opposition in a legal proceeding will attempt to poke as many holes as possible in the case you present in court. Even if you have a decent amount of evidence, their job is to show that it doesn’t tell the whole story and is insufficient because of it.

You can use legal investigations to your advantage to plug many of the holes the opposition tries to point out. They can highlight the big picture in a case by addressing all the different circumstances surrounding it, making it much harder for others to argue against what you’re trying to prove.

Let Us Assist You by Launching Legal Investigations for Your Cases

Legal investigations can influence the outcomes of court cases, but they can also take a lot of time to carry out. Instead of conducting these investigations yourself, lean on Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. Reach out to us at (844) 348-3111 to speak with an investigator about a case you’re currently working on, and we’ll determine how our services might aid in bringing about the resolution you seek.

The Massive Impact of a Process Professional on Legal Outcomes

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 01:30:00 GMT

Every year, more than 100 million court cases are filed at the state level, with another 400,000 court cases filed at the federal level. Legal teams work hard to create compelling cases, but unfortunately, a number of them are dismissed at some point during the legal process. Hiring a process professional to serve legal documents to those involved in your law firm’s cases is an effective way to minimize dismissals.

A process professional can have a huge impact on the legal outcomes in many of your firm’s cases, too. If your firm is looking to stand out in a sea of legal services, working with the right process professionals can help. Find out how hiring one can positively affect your firm’s legal outcomes below.

Delivers Documents to Defendants in a Timely Fashion

When you take on a new client and begin creating a case with them, one of the first things you’ll need to do is file the necessary paperwork and let the defendant in the case know about it. You can do this by bringing a process professional on board to deliver legal documents to them.

You won’t want to waste any time when you serve the defendant in a case since it could present all kinds of legal issues down the line. You might encounter delays in your client’s case if it takes weeks to track them down so you can serve them.

Legal professionals often call on process servers who know how to serve individuals with legal documents quickly. Just make sure you choose one who has earned a stellar reputation within the legal industry.

Stays Within the Limits of the Law While Serving Documents

There are many laws regarding how a process professional can serve legal documents to an individual involved in a court case. For instance, they must verify their identity before handing over the documents. They must also keep all information contained in these documents confidential.

Additionally, a process server cannot have any connections to the court case they’re serving documents for since this could cause a conflict of interest. If you hire the wrong professional and they don’t play by the right rules, it could hinder your ability to succeed when your case eventually goes to court.

Allows Your Firm To Focus on Building a Stronger Case

You aren’t legally permitted to serve documents to an individual involved in a case you’re putting together. But it wouldn't be a good idea even if you were allowed to do it. It would take your focus off the case and force you to scramble to create it at the last minute.

By working closely with a process professional, you free up time and resources that you can devote to strengthening the case you’re building. It could lead to a better legal outcome in court and leave your client feeling satisfied with the approach you took to their case.

Call Us To Enlist the Services of an Experienced Process Professional

Would you like to witness first-hand what a big impact a process professional can have on a legal outcome? See for yourself by calling Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. for more information on how we can assist you with the service of process .

We have more than 25 years of experience when it comes to serving individuals with subpoenas, court summonses, and more. We can also set up your law firm with other services and legal advice. Touch base with us today by calling (844) 348-3111 to learn about the process serving services we can extend.

What Are Process Servers, and Why Are They Essential for Law Firms?

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:00:34 GMT

The U.S. is home to about 450,000 law firms . Many of them can’t serve their clients without process servers. So, what are process servers, and why is it so important for law firms to work closely with them?

Many Americans have seen process servers serving documents to those involved in legal cases, either in real life or on TV shows and in movies.

However, people don’t always understand the vital role of process servers in the legal process.

Learn more about process servers, the court documents they serve, and their importance in every court proceeding in the country.

What Are Process Servers?

First things first: What are process servers? Simply put, they’re professionals responsible for performing what is called service of process . This act involves delivering subpoenas, summonses, and other court documents to individuals subject to legal proceedings.

In some cases, process servers can easily track down those they need to serve legal documents to by visiting them at home or work. In other instances, process servers must exercise creativity to locate and serve those actively trying to avoid the documents coming their way.

Because of this, not everyone can work as a process server. It explains why there are only between 8,000 and 9,000 process servers working throughout the U.S. as of 2024.

Why Are Process Servers Essential for Law Firms?

Law firms must establish close working relationships with trustworthy process servers who can serve legal documents like court summonses, restraining orders, eviction notices, and more. Why? First, it’s because law firms aren’t legally allowed to serve these documents.

Instead, the law requires law firms to bring process servers on board to serve as impartial third parties when delivering legal documents to those involved in court cases. It also calls for them to follow a series of strict legal requirements when serving documents:

They must accurately verify a person’s identity before serving them with legal documents.
They must document every aspect of the legal document delivery process and provide law firms with proof showing documents were served properly.
They must deliver documents within certain timeframes.
They must keep the information included in legal documents confidential.
They must abide by the specific service of process rules and regulations in the jurisdiction in which they serve legal documents.

Process servers must also routinely deal with everything from difficult defendants who don’t want to receive legal documents to safety hazards, like dangerous neighborhoods, that can potentially put them in harm’s way.

Where Can Law Firms Find Process Servers?

Since there still aren’t that many process servers in the U.S. despite their importance to the country’s legal system, law firms might struggle to locate process servers in some cases. Thankfully, reputable companies like Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. exist to provide law firms with the process servers they need.

When hiring a company to provide your law firm with process servers, ensure they have more than enough experience withthe service of process. Check to see that they’re familiar with finding individuals in your area, too. It’ll allow your law firm to take full advantage of the process servers who work for this company.

Need Process Servers for Your Law Firm? Give Us a Call

Now that you know the answer to the question, “What are process servers?” would you like to begin working with experienced process servers who can deliver legal documents for your law firm fast? Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. is here to help. Contact us at (844) 348-3111 for more information about this crucial legal service.

What Is the Law in Florida Regarding Surveillance Cameras?

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:37 GMT

You’ve had a sneaking suspicion about your roommate for a while now. You’re sure they’re slipping into your room and stealing money off your dresser while you’re at work, but you can’t prove it. Desperate for answers, you wonder, “What is the law in Florida regarding surveillance cameras?”

Is it legal to hide a security camera in your house? What about your business? Discover the legal requirements for CCTV in Florida below.

Legal Regulations for Security Cameras in Florida

Like all other states, Florida has strict rules regarding the use of surveillance cameras. That means you can’t just stick a hidden camera wherever you like (even if you suspect your roommate of being a petty thief).

What’s legal and what isn’t? We’ll cover the basics of surveillance camera rules in Florida next.

Florida Is an “All-Party Consent” State

The first thing you must know is that, unlike some states, which only require consent from one party to record, Florida is an “all-party consent” state. That means you need consent from all parties to record them legally.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you must ask every person, “Is it okay if I record you?” Consent is implied to be given if:

You place the cameras in plain view where tenants, employees, or customers can easily see them.
You place a sign on your property notifying visitors they are being recorded.

Florida Laws on Surveillance Cameras in Your Home

Surely, it’s legal to put video cameras in your own home, right? According to surveillance camera rules in Florida, yes. However, you must either notify guests that you’re recording them or put the cameras in an obvious, easily visible spot.

What is the law in Florida regarding surveillance cameras in private places? It’s illegal to place surveillance cameras in places where people would expect privacy, such as bathrooms and changing rooms. Putting a camera in such a place violates Florida’s video voyeurism laws.

A first-time video voyeurism offense is a first-degree misdemeanor that comes with a fine of up to $1,000, one year of jail, and/or one year of probation. If you share illicit footage of someone undressing or using the restroom without their consent, the penalties can be far more severe.

Florida Statutes on Video Surveillance for Businesses

Is it legal to install a video surveillance system for your business? Yes, and some Florida cities and counties require it. For example, Volusia County requires all late-night businesses to have a camera system. In Orange County, all convenience stores must have surveillance cameras.

As with home surveillance systems, you must notify employees you’re recording them and point out the locations of the cameras. You may not place cameras in spots where employees would expect privacy, such as restrooms or locker rooms.

What if you own an apartment building? You’re free to put cameras in common areas, such as your rental office, laundry room, and exercise room. Putting cameras in the hallways is okay, but you can’t place them in individual apartments.

There’s one more important stipulation: Businesses must have their cameras installed by a licensed contractor. This means you can’t legally install a camera system for your business yourself.

Learn More About Legislation Governing Security Cameras in Florida

What is the Florida law regarding surveillance cameras? Florida is an all-party consent state, so you must get permission from visitors or employees to record them. You must also abide by laws designed to protect the privacy of guests or workers.

Want to learn more about skip tracing or service of process ? Contact Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 722-8835 or contact us online .

What Are Some of the More Challenging Process Service Scenarios Your Company Has Successfully Completed?

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 11:59:48 GMT

As a professional process serving company, we encounter a wide range of scenarios in our line of work. While many serves proceed smoothly, some present unique challenges that require creativity, persistence, and expertise to overcome.

Check out the full video above as we explore some of the more challenging process service scenarios our company has successfully completed.

5 Effective Bank Search Techniques for Lawyers

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

You’ve got a client in the middle of a nasty divorce. They suspect their spouse of stashing assets in an offshore bank account but have thus far been unable to find hard proof. The right bank search techniques for lawyers can help that client find hidden money that’s rightfully theirs.

Below, we’ll cover a few bank search methods for legal professionals.

Lawyer Strategies for Bank Searches

Think you can just waltz into a bank and demand that it hand over customer information? Think again. Banks are bound by privacy laws forbidding them from giving out customer information without consent.

It’s highly unlikely that the customer or their legal counsel will give you the go-ahead to comb through their bank accounts. You’ll need a subpoena or court order authorizing you to do so. To obtain one, you must have a good reason to look through the person’s financial affairs.

Valid reasons include:

Finding hidden bank accounts, half of which belong to the owner’s spouse
Uncovering illegal transfers of funds
Determining how much alimony and/or child support a person can afford to pay

Below are a few investigative approaches for lawyers in bank searches.

1. Hire a Private Investigator or Forensic Accountant

Some bank accounts are easy to find. All you need is the person’s name and the name of their bank. Others, however, are very well hidden. A person might set up an account under a different name or in a city halfway across the country.

What do you do if your bank search doesn’t pan out? Consider hiring a forensic accountant or private investigator . These pros are specifically trained to find bank records no matter how elusive they are.

2. Use Investigative Data Tools

Finding bank records is tough if you don’t know much about your target. That’s where investigative data software comes in, and using it is one of the best bank search techniques for lawyers. In addition to bank accounts, such software can uncover:

Names and aliases
Address history
Property records
Business records
Social media accounts

Considering how long it would take you to find all this information on your own, data investigation software is highly cost-effective.

3. Take Advantage of Big Data

Let’s say that you have a bunch of bank account data. All of it is packed into dozens of spreadsheets, and sifting through those documents to organize the data would take a ton of time.

Big Data comes to the rescue. You can use organization tools to link pieces of data connected in otherwise unclear ways. If you have a lot of unstructured data, try data extraction. This technique pulls and organizes metadata from various sources.

4. Look for Fraudulent Conveyance

Suppose you suspect a person of illegally transferring money to dodge their creditors (called fraudulent conveyance ). Finding money illegally stashed in domestic bank accounts is fairly easy, but what about offshore accounts?

To find secret offshore accounts, try:

Inspecting domestic accounts for large transfers
Reviewing the person’s tax records
Working with international attorneys and investigators in the suspected account’s jurisdiction

5. Track Down Real Property

Searching for real property like houses and office buildings can also help you flesh out your search for assets. If you spot a large withdrawal from a person’s bank account, they may have used this money to purchase real property off the books.

Discover More Techniques for Attorneys in Bank Searches

Want more bank search techniques for lawyers? Have further questions about the legalities and process of ferreting out hard-to-find information? Contact Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 722-8835 or contact us online .

When Should I Hire a Private Investigator?

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:37:00 GMT

The decision to hire a private investigator is not one to be taken lightly. Whether you're facing personal issues, legal matters, or corporate challenges, enlisting the services of a private investigator can provide valuable insights and assistance. But when exactly should you consider hiring a private investigator?

Check out the full video above as we explore some common scenarios where their expertise can be invaluable.

The Most Popular Hours a Florida Process Server Will Serve

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

You’ve only just made it home from work, and all you want to do is eat dinner in peace. Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door . You crack it open, and a process server thrusts a pack of documents into your hands. Irritated, you wonder, “Is this legal? What hours can a process server serve you?”

Below, learn about process server service hours in Florida. You’ll also discover what to do if you don’t want a process server to show up at your home.

When Can Process Servers Serve Documents in Florida?

In some states, process servers can’t bother you after a certain time of day, such as 8 p.m. Unfortunately, there are no such restrictions in Florida, so process servers can show up whenever they please. Typical process server availability hours can range from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

There is only one day of the week that process servers can’t serve you, and that’s Sunday. The law prohibits service of process on Sunday unless a court order provides an exception. This usually only happens if the process server must serve the defendant immediately and cannot wait until Monday.

What hours can a process server serve you? Although process servers can serve you anytime, they usually try to show up when they know you’re available. That means arriving at your home before or after work. Yes, this is annoying and inconvenient, but it’s legal.

Where Can Process Servers Serve Documents?

Process servers can serve you pretty much anywhere, whether that’s at your home, job, or in the parking lot of a grocery store. If a process server finds you in your car and you refuse to emerge from the vehicle, they can simply leave the documents on your windshield and walk away.

Process servers cannot break into your home or trespass on private property to serve you (knocking on your door isn’t trespassing, by the way).

They also can’t impersonate law enforcement to force you to accept documents.

If you don’t want a process server to show up at your house or job, you can arrange for an attorney or authorized representative to accept the documents on your behalf. Many people find this preferable because they don’t have to wait around wondering when the process server will arrive.

How To Ensure Speedy Service of Process

What if you’re the one who needs to serve someone ? For example, maybe you want to sue someone for crashing into your car. You want them served as soon as possible so you can collect compensation and move on with your life.

The documents you gave to the process server will already have the defendant’s name and address on them. However, that’s not always enough to track the person down. For instance, maybe the person doesn’t spend much time at home. Perhaps they’re self-employed and have no set place of business at which the process server can deliver papers.

If you have pictures of the person in question, give them to the process server for identification. If you know where the person likes to hang out, provide a list of those locations to the server as well.

Learn More About the Timeframe for Process Server Visits

What hours can a process server serve you? If you live in Florida, they can show up at your house or job pretty much any time. The only exception is that they can’t serve you on Sundays.

If you have more questions about process server hours or want to hire a skip tracer, contact Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 722-8835 or contact us online .

What Surveillance Methods Do Investigators Use in Private Investigations?

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 10:41:37 GMT

Private investigators play a crucial role in gathering information and uncovering facts for various purposes, including legal cases, corporate investigations, and personal matters. One of the key tools in their arsenal is surveillance, which involves discreetly monitoring individuals or locations to gather evidence.

Check out the full video above as we explore some of the surveillance methods commonly used by private investigators in their investigations.

What Kind of Papers Does a Process Server Serve?

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

You may wonder, “What kind of papers does a process server serve?” Perhaps a process server visited your workplace to drop off documents to one of your coworkers, and now you’re curious.

Think of process servers as official messengers of the court. They deliver paperwork that compels witnesses to appear in a trial, notifies defendants of an impending lawsuit, and much more.

Below, learn about a few types of paperwork served in legal cases.

Types of Papers Served by Process Servers

How do defendants know someone is suing them? The plaintiff doesn’t just call the defendant and say, “See you in court.” Rather, they hire a process server to deliver the news on their behalf.

This is just one example of what process servers do. We’ll go over a few more types of documents handled by process servers next.

Subpoenas

If you’ve ever watched a police drama on TV, you might have heard a lawyer say, “We need to subpoena that witness.” To do that, the lawyer will need the help of a process server.

When asking, "What kind of papers does a process server serve?" you might also wonder, "What exactly is a subpoena?" Put simply, it’s a document that compels a person, such as a witness, to appear in court and provide information on certain legal matters. The full legal term for this is “ subpoena ad testificandum .”

If an attorney needs someone to provide certain evidence, they will have a process server deliver a subpoena duces tecum instead.

Writs

Writs are legal documents issued by a court. There are five types of writs, and each has a different purpose. These include:

Habeas corpus: A writ that requires a person under arrest to appear before a judge
Prohibition: A writ from a higher court that prevents a lower court from interfering with the determination of a case pending appeal
Writ of quo warranto: A common law remedy used to challenge someone’s right to hold corporate or public office
Certiorari: A writ used to seek judicial review of a lower court’s decision
Mandamus: An order to a government entity or official commanding it/them to perform legally required duties

Summons

What kind of papers does a process server serve? Process servers commonly deliver a summons, a document informing a person they must appear in court.

There are three kinds of summons:

Citation, also called a traffic violation ticket
Civil summons, which is a summons from one individual to another
Administrative summons, which is a summons from an administrative body, such as a tax agency

Complaints

A complaint is a written statement that outlines a plaintiff’s legal case. Typically, a civil summons will include a complaint.

A legal complaint must include the plaintiff’s claims against the defendant(s). It must also include what remedy the plaintiff wants. Once the defendant has received the complaint, they must respond within a set period (varies by state; usually 30 to 60 days).

Learn More About Documents Served for Legal Proceedings

If you’re still wondering, “What kind of papers does a process server serve?” or need a skip tracer to help track down a missing person, reach out to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 722-8835 or contact us online to learn more about papers delivered by process servers.

What Is a Florida Tag Search, and Does Professional Process Servers and Investigators Provide this Service?

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 00:28:18 GMT

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to locate someone in Florida, whether for legal proceedings, personal matters, or investigative purposes, you may come across the term "Florida tag search." But what exactly does this entail, and can professional process servers and investigators provide this service?

Check out the full video above as we delve into the details.

How Long Can a Private Investigator Follow You?

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 00:00:08 GMT

You anxiously peek out your window, and there he is. It’s that private investigator who has been tailing you around town, shadowing your every move, for the past week or so. What does he want? Why won’t he leave you alone? Exactly how long can a private investigator follow you?

You’ll learn the answer below, plus a few things private investigators legally can and cannot do.

How Long Can a Private Investigator Tail You?

Legally, private investigators do not have to stop following you after a certain amount of time. They can continue to follow you for as long as required to collect the necessary evidence. That means a private investigator might follow you for less than a day, several months, or anything in between.

Why Might a Private Investigator Follow You?

Private investigators can follow their targets for many reasons. Gathering evidence for a contentious divorce is one. Accident investigation is another.

If you’ve recently had an accident, the insurance company might send an investigator to see whether you’re really as injured as you claim to be. If you say you’ve hurt your back, but the investigator catches you dancing at a party, the insurance company can use that evidence to reduce your settlement.

Private investigators sometimes follow job candidates to ensure they’re not up to anything shady. This is usually only the case for high-level jobs that require adherence to strict ethical standards.

What Private Investigators Can Do

Private investigators have many options for tracking their quarry. They can access public records databases, which include information such as phone numbers, addresses, and employment. They may also check a target’s social media accounts for updates.

Technically, private investigators can access bank records, but only in a few select circumstances. Per the Right to Financial Privacy Act, banks can’t disclose customer records without a warrant, subpoena, court order, or customer consent.

Private investigators are allowed to collect information about you from family, friends, and coworkers. They can even eavesdrop on conversations without breaking the law to conduct surveillance.

Private investigators can plant tracking devices on targets’ cars in some states. Florida doesn’t allow the placement of a tracking device without the vehicle owner’s consent, but there are a couple of exceptions to the rule .

What Private Investigators Cannot Do

How long can a private investigator follow you? Theoretically, forever. However, investigators aren’t all-powerful, and they must operate within the bounds of the law.

Private investigators cannot:

Impersonate law enforcement
Hack into your computer
Trespass on your property
Take photos of you through the windows of your home or other places where you have an expectation of privacy

Private investigators must also abide by their state’s one-party or two-party consent rules for recording conversations. In two-party states, such as Florida, both parties must give consent to record a conversation.

Questions About Private Investigators? Call Us

If you’re still wondering, “How long can a private investigator follow you?” reach out to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 530-0255 to learn more about what private investigators can and cannot do.

Are Discounts Available for Businesses that Frequently Need Process Services?

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 12:03:43 GMT

For businesses that frequently require process services, such as serving legal documents or subpoenas, managing the associated costs can be a significant consideration. Many businesses wonder if there are discounts or cost-saving opportunities available for their recurring needs.

Check out the full video above as we explore whether discounts are typically available for businesses that frequently require process services.

Does the Cost for the Service Increase When the Process Server Cannot Locate the Recipient on the First Attempt?

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 12:00:10 GMT

When you require legal documents to be served, such as subpoenas, summonses, or divorce papers, you may wonder about the costs involved, especially if the recipient is difficult to locate. One common concern is whether the cost of service increases when the process server fails to find the recipient on the first attempt.

Check out the full video above as we delve into this question and understand how process serving fees are typically structured.

Do Speeding Tickets Appear on Background Checks?

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

You have the job opportunity of a lifetime. You’ve got the experience, and the interviewer seems to love you. It’s a slam dunk, you think. You’ll surely have an offer by the end of the day.

Then the interviewer says, “We’d love to hire you. We just need to run a background check first.”

You remember that recent speeding ticket and break out into a cold sweat. Do speeding tickets appear on background checks? Could that one little ticket cost you your dream job? Find out below.

Will a Speeding Ticket Appear on Your Background Check?

Good news: Speeding tickets and other minor traffic infractions (rolling through a stop sign, for example) do not appear on background checks . That means an employer will never know about your tickets. As far as they’re concerned, such minor infractions don’t exist.

While speeding tickets show up on your driving record, an employer will typically only check this record if the job involves driving.

For example, an employer might check your driving record for jobs like these:

Truck driver
Ambulance driver
Taxi driver
Delivery driver
Construction worker
Valet
Chauffeur
Mail carrier

So, if you’re wondering, “Will a ticket show up when an employer runs a background check?” the answer is no. However, that ticket could impact employment for a job that involves driving.

Serious Traffic Infractions Will Appear on a Background Check

Do speeding tickets appear on background checks? No, but more serious traffic infractions and criminal offenses like reckless driving will. Here are some examples of infractions that would appear on a background check.

Leo sped through an intersection and crashed into another driver’s car, seriously injuring her. Panicked over what might happen to him, he decides to flee the scene before the cops arrive.
Farrah has a suspended license but has to get to work. She decides to take the risk. Just a few blocks away from her job, those telltale flashing red and blue lights appear in her rearview mirror.
Casey is enjoying a night out with friends. After a few stiff drinks, it’s time to head home. Nobody can give him a ride, so he decides to slip behind the wheel and drive himself.
A driver cuts Josie off on the highway. Enraged, she aggressively tailgates the driver to teach them a lesson. The driver panics and careens off the road into a ditch.
A cop tries to pull Harold over for speeding. He can’t afford a ticket, so he tries to evade the police. His stunt turns into an hour-long chase down the freeway.

How Long Do Traffic Infractions Stay on Your Record?

We’ve established that traffic violations appear on driving records, but how long will they stay there? That depends on the state where you live and the severity of the violation.

In Florida, a speeding ticket stays on your record for five years. In several other states, tickets only stay on your record for one or two years.

In the Sunshine State, serious infractions can stay on your record for a long time. Take DUIs, for instance. In most states, a DUI drops off your record after 10 years. In Florida, though, a DUI will stay on your record for a whopping 75 years. To make matters worse, Florida doesn’t allow you to expunge a DUI from your record.

What’s on Your Background Check? Find Out Now

Do speeding tickets appear on background checks? Fortunately not, but if a job involves driving, your speeding ticket might be a barrier to employment.

Reach out to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 530-0255 today.

Is Skip Tracing Legal? Understanding Legality, Techniques, and More

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:04:01 GMT

Maybe you’re trying to find someone for a lawsuit, or you’re on the hunt for someone who owes you money. In cases like these, skip tracing saves the day. Few people can hide from professional skip tracers like those at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.

Is skip tracing legal? You’ll learn the answer below. You’ll also discover a few tactics skip tracers use to track down their quarry.

What Is Skip Tracing?

In simplest terms, skip tracing is the process of finding someone who has gone “off-grid.” Normally, you can find someone by looking up their contact information, such as their address or phone number. But clever folks who don’t want to be found may move across the country, change their name, and even alter their appearance.

When this happens, it’s the skip tracer’s time to shine.

Skip tracers help process servers find lawsuit defendants so they can serve legal documents to them. However, that’s not all they do. Skip tracers can find:

People who owe debts to creditors
Insurance beneficiaries, claimants, and policyholders
Witnesses and missing persons
Potential real estate buyers and sellers

Is Skip Tracing Legal?

Is skip tracing legal? Yes, as long as the skip tracer doesn’t break any laws to get their hands on information. Examples of illegal and unethical skip tracing practices include:

Accessing private email accounts or phone records
Impersonating someone to access their tax records or bank accounts
Accessing police reports (except for traffic incident reports)
Hacking someone’s computer
Stalking or harassing someone to learn their personal information
Bribing people in exchange for information

To avoid running afoul of the law, all skip tracers must comply with regulations, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which mandate ethical and lawful data use.

Skip Tracing Methods

How does skip tracing work? It’s not as easy as looking someone up in the phonebook.

Skip tracers have access to various public records and databases from which they pull and cross-reference information. Techniques used by skip tracers can include:

Looking at credit reports and utility records to find a person’s last known address
Scanning court records, property records, and marriage/divorce records
Searching criminal background check sites
Interviewing the target’s family and acquaintances
Checking social media for updates the target has posted

DIY Skip Tracing

Skip tracing costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re hunting for someone who’s very hard to find. With the right tools and a bit of luck, you may be able to do it yourself.

As mentioned above, social media is a great place to start. Many people frequently update their social media pages, which could give clues about their whereabouts.

You could also try a reverse image search. If you have a picture of someone, you can use Google to find matching images across the web. This could lead you to their blog, website, or LinkedIn page.

You may also want to try people search websites. These websites compile data from hundreds of public sources — handy when you don’t want to spend weeks looking for someone. The best ones cost a bit of money, but you may find the expense worth it.

Looking for Someone? Contact Our Skip Tracers

Is skip tracing legal? Yes, as long as skip tracers don’t break any laws while gathering information. If you’re having trouble finding an elusive missing person or want to know more about what skip tracing involves, we can help. Reach out to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 530-0255 to learn more now.

What Does Your Background Check Process Look Like?

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:59:11 GMT

In today's fast-paced world, ensuring the credibility and integrity of individuals, whether for employment, housing, or other purposes, is more crucial than ever. A thorough background check can provide the peace of mind needed to make informed decisions. But what exactly does the background check process entail?

Check out the full video above as we break down the steps involved in a typical background check process.

What Makes Professional Process Servers and Investigators Different from Other Companies?

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:43:44 GMT

We dive into the unique qualities that make our services stand out, such as our commitment to speed, accuracy, and exceptional client care in our latest video. Learn about our specialized capabilities in handling sensitive legal documents and our proactive approach to meeting diverse client needs across various legal scenarios.

Check out the full video above for a detailed look at why our team is the preferred choice for professional process serving and investigative services.

I Need to Serve Legal Documents – Does Pro Process Servers Provide Same-Day Services?

Thu, 30 May 2024 13:10:17 GMT

Explore whether Pro Process Servers offers same-day services for legal document delivery in our latest video. We discuss the availability and conditions of expedited service options, helping you understand when and how you can utilize same-day services for urgent legal matters. This video is ideal for legal professionals or individuals needing fast and reliable process service.

For further assistance or to request our services, please contact us directly or visit our website for more information.

What are the Top Trends Influencing Process Serving Today?

Mon, 06 May 2024 14:45:00 GMT

For decades, process servers have notified defendants of lawsuits, subpoenas, and other important legal matters. Thanks to rapidly advancing technology and ever-changing laws, the business of process serving can seem like the Wild West. Are professional process servers prepared to navigate this untamed frontier?

Below, you’ll learn about some of the most promising tools available to process servers and a few challenges they might face on the job.

E-Service

Ages ago, process servers had to track down a defendant and hand them notice in person. That’s still a thing, of course, but today’s process servers are more frequently making use of e-service, or electronic service.

E-service allows process servers to send documents through secure electronic channels. Process servers can also conduct video conferences with clients and defendants. This is highly convenient as it allows them to do business remotely instead of traveling to a physical location.

Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence

Process servers work with large amounts of data, and keeping track of everything can be a burden. With the advent of data analytics tools, process servers can comb through hundreds of records in seconds. That means no more spending long hours sifting through hard copies of paperwork.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is getting smarter and more reliable every day, too. It can:

Predict a person’s location
Write emails and fill out paperwork
Scan records
Help process servers find relevant laws

No-Service, No-Fee Regulations

It’s not all sunshine and roses for professional process servers. New “no-service, no-fee” regulations might make it harder for certified process servers to get paid.

Under these regulations, a client does not have to pay a process server who doesn’t complete service. So, if a process server heads to someone’s home or business but can’t find them, they may be out of luck.

An Increasing Risk of Violence

Nowadays, it seems like everyone has a bone to pick with somebody. Simply cutting in line at the store or looking at someone the wrong way is enough to trigger a potentially deadly assault.

Process servers can bear the full brunt of this anger and frustration. It’s easy to imagine why, as defendants are none too pleased when they learn that someone wants to sue them.

In 2022, a process server from Portland, OR, suffered back injuries and a broken arm when attempting to serve a woman with a restraining order. And in 2021, a man viciously beat a Washington process server so badly that he feared for his life.

It’s a felony to attack process servers in many states, including Florida. However, process servers question whether they’re truly protected, especially after a court ruled in favor of a gun-wielding homeowner who beat a server, citing the state’s Stand Your Ground Law as the reason for the ruling.

Contact Our Process Serving Professionals

If you’re looking for trusted process serving professionals, hire our legal document servers. At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we ensure timely court document delivery and always provide reliable service of process for your business.

Request a quote now or call (844) 530-0255 to learn more.

How Can Skip Tracing Services Help Your Business Recover Assets?

Thu, 02 May 2024 14:45:00 GMT

Someone has made off with important business assets; naturally, you want them back. Perhaps you fired an employee who then made off with expensive equipment, for instance. But how can you recover those assets if you don’t know where that person is?

Enter Florida skip tracing services. Skip tracers are professional detectives whose job is to track down people who have conveniently gone “missing.” If you’ve been hunting for lost assets but haven’t had any luck, here’s why hiring a skip tracer is wise.

Skip Tracing Services Have Access to Powerful Search Tools

If someone truly wants to disappear, they’ll go all out. They might move to another state, alter their appearance, or even change their name. A Florida people search won’t be enough to track them down in this case.

Skip tracers have access to databases and tools to help them find even the slipperiest runaways. The following are some of the techniques that professional skip tracers use:

Searching comprehensive databases to reveal name changes, current and former addresses, phone numbers, and places of employment
Locating people via voter registration, utility bills, and other documents
Checking public records for vehicle and property ownership
Conducting interviews with associates
Surveilling the person and/or locations they frequent
Reviewing social media for clues to the person’s whereabouts

Skip Tracing Saves Your Business Time and Money

You’ve got a business to run, and you certainly don’t have time to waste hunting down lost assets. Why not let professional Florida skip tracing services handle the job for you? Doing so lets you focus on more important matters, such as growing your company.

Hiring a skip trace investigation service can also save you money, especially if your lost assets are considerably valuable. If you were to try tracking this individual down yourself, you’d have to spend a pretty penny on access to databases and people location services. Even then, you might not find the culprit. Hiring a skip tracing service is more efficient and cost effective.

Skip Tracing Agencies in Florida Understand Legal and Ethical Boundaries

You might think that all bets are off when someone steals your assets, but there are laws stipulating what you can and cannot do. In Florida, for instance, you can’t repeatedly call or harass someone who owes your business a debt. And, as much as you’d like to, you can’t threaten them or use abusive language.

Skip tracing agencies are well aware of these laws and maintain strict ethical standards in their work. Therefore, you needn’t worry about breaking the law.

Tracing and Location Services Can Recover Assets Quickly

How much time might you spend tracking down assets on your own? A few weeks? Months, or maybe longer? If a debtor has moved out of state and changed their name, you might hunt for them for years with nothing to show for your efforts.

As a business owner, you don’t have that much time to waste. You need those assets back now .

This is why it’s smart to hire a skip tracer. Thanks to their efficient methods, they can reclaim assets far more quickly than you could on your own.

Trying to Recover Assets in Florida? Call Us

Debtors and asset thieves can get creative when trying to hide, but at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., our skip tracers are prepared to outsmart them. We can track down anyone, anywhere, nationwide. Let’s start the process of recovering your assets today.

To learn more about our Florida skip tracing services, request a quote or call (844) 530-0255 .

What Legal Pitfalls Should Businesses Avoid When Process Serving?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:28:22 GMT

If you intend to sue someone, you must notify them of your intentions. This sounds simple enough, but businesses are prone to mistakes that could jeopardize the case. Below, learn about common process server mistakes and how to avoid them.

What Do Legal Document Servers Do?

A process server is someone who hands legal documents to a defendant named in court proceedings. Process servers are necessary because you cannot sue someone without notifying them first, which would be rather unfair if allowed.

It’s not the job of process servers to ensure that the defendant retains legal counsel or even that they follow the service of process. Their duty is to get a notice of legal action in the defendant’s hand and nothing more.

Pitfalls That Civil Process Servers Must Avoid

Process serving sounds easy, but there are several mistakes that court document servers should avoid making. Any of these could hurt your business’s case.

Serving the Wrong Person

This is one of the most common mistakes that legal courier services make. For instance, process servers may hand documents to someone with a name similar to the defendant’s. If they give documents to “Joe Smith Sr.” instead of “Joe Smith Jr.,” the defendant can contest the lawsuit, and the court may dismiss it entirely.

Not Notifying the Defendant

Process servers must notify the defendant that they plan to serve them legal documents. They cannot just show up unannounced. If the process server doesn’t provide notification, the defendant may not be available to receive the documents.

Serving Documents to the Incorrect Location

Naturally, many people would prefer not to receive notice of a lawsuit at work or home. This makes sense, as handing them a lawsuit notice in front of their family or coworkers can be extremely embarrassing.

Process servers sometimes have no choice but to serve a defendant at an undesirable location. However, if the defendant has designated an alternate place where they would prefer to be served, the process server should attempt to deliver the documents there.

For instance, the defendant may have signed a document consenting to receive legal notices through the mail or at their attorney’s office.

Providing Incomplete or Inaccurate Documentation

If legal documents include incorrect information, the defendant may attempt to have the case dismissed. Common mistakes on legal documents include:

Improperly citing laws
Including inaccurate facts
Using unclear language

Failing to Adhere to Legal Timelines

When you wish to sue someone, you must deliver the notice by a set date. If you fail to do so, the court can dismiss the case.

You must also follow the statute of limitations in your state. This deadline varies by state and case. In many states, you have just two years from the date of an incident to file a lawsuit. You're out of luck if you try to serve someone after the deadline.

Failing to Notarize an Affidavit of Service

After serving a defendant, the process server must obtain a notarized Affidavit of Service. This document indicates that the process server identified the correct person and served them documents in a timely manner. Process servers must have the Affidavit of Service notarized to make it valid.

Contact Our Dependable Process Servers for Your Business

Choosing the right process server is crucial if your business plans to file a lawsuit. At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., service of process is the bulk of our business. We have reliably served writs of garnishment, summonses, and subpoenas for over 25 years.

To learn more about our legal support services, request a quote or call (844) 530-0255 .

Top 10 Qualities of a Successful Process Server in Florida

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 02:45:00 GMT

Are you searching for a process server in Florida but don’t know how to compare your options?

While the job may seem simple, it requires a unique skill set for compliant and successful document delivery. Process servers deliver important legal documents, like lawsuits or eviction notices, to people who may be highly emotional, stressed, confused, or potentially fleeing their legal requirements. A business that seeks process service needs a company that is knowledgeable and prepared to handle this type of delicate situation.

Read on to learn about the top 10 qualities a business should look for in a process server.

1. Legal Knowledge

Delivering legal documents means you must be intimately familiar with the legislative guidelines surrounding the item’s delivery. Seek a company with a background in the legal industry, as they will be more knowledgeable in things like lawsuits, evictions, etc.

2. Compliance With Laws

Your process server must comply with various state and federal laws, so select someone who knows how to adhere to deadlines and other requirements.

3. Clear Communication Skills

A process server in Florida must be able to clearly and effectively communicate with the person they’re serving, in addition to attorneys and numerous other parties.

4. Precision and Attention to Detail

Delivering a legal document requires a certain level of precision to leave no stone unturned. Your process server is likely juggling numerous cases at once, so be sure to select someone who can pay careful attention to different addresses, policies, deadlines, and more. At the same time, your process server must keep detailed records of each delivery attempt, which brings us to our next point.

5. Organization

Because process servers handle multiple cases at any given time, they must have excellent organizational skills to meet all the required deadlines. Your process server should have excellent time management skills to prioritize certain cases over others so they can effectively manage their workload and delivery routes.

6. Emotional Boundaries

Your process server in Florida may need to deliver documents to highly emotional individuals. The person may be upset, confused, or shocked about the lawsuit, eviction notice, or other document they’re receiving, so your process server should be prepared to handle the situation professionally and discreetly. Your process server should be able to prioritize privacy, maintain their composure, and act respectfully, even during intense situations.

7. Persistence and Patience

In many cases, your process server company will need to conduct multiple attempts to complete a delivery successfully. If they cannot find the person, they may need to be creative in their efforts, conducting additional research to find where the person might be at the given time of day.

8. Resourcefulness

Scenarios where the process server cannot easily find the person may require resourcefulness. If you select someone highly renowned in the industry, they will likely have more connections and better resources for locating hard-to-find individuals.

9. Technological Proficiency

Process servers are far more efficient when they’re tech-savvy. Public databases or social media can help your process server locate where the party may be at specific times throughout the day for a successful delivery.

10. Quick Thinking and Adaptability

People can respond in surprising ways when they’re delivered a court summons and may even attempt to flee. You need a process server who can act quickly on their feet to handle such scenarios.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., our team possesses the above skills and more. If your business needs a process server in Florida, call (954) 566-2523 today to schedule an appointment with our team.

When Do Businesses Need to Utilize Skip Tracing?

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 02:30:18 GMT

If you own a business, you’ve likely encountered numerous clients who didn’t want to fulfill their end of the deal. Whether a client owes you money or you’ve become involved in a lawsuit, you do not have the time to track down fleeing parties or witnesses during your busy schedule. That’s where Florida skip tracing services come in.

Skip tracing services help businesses track down unresponsive, hard-to-find, or missing people related to your business needs. Businesses can use skip tracing services for all different purposes, ranging from debt collection and lead verification to application evaluations and more. Read on to learn more about skip tracing applications from our experienced team at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.

What Is Skip Tracing?

Skip tracing is an investigative service that involves tracking down unresponsive or hard-to-find parties to pinpoint their whereabouts so your business can recover its debts, fulfill its legal responsibilities, or complete various other actions. The skip tracer is the person or party conducting the investigation.

Skip tracers use public records and investigation databases to retrieve the person’s information. Upon locating the individual, the skip tracer will inform them of their owed duty. Because skip tracers use public sources to retrieve the information, the service is legal in the United States.

What Types of Businesses Use Skip Tracing?

Many industries rely on skip tracers, including the following:

Financial institutions
Bail bondsmen
Lenders
Collection agencies
Tenant verification businesses
Fraud investigators
Genealogists
Journalists
Legal professionals
Private investigators and detectives
Process servers
Real estate and repossession agents
And more

When Might a Business Need to Utilize Skip Tracing?

When could Florida skip tracing services be useful for your business? Businesses use skip tracers for numerous reasons, depending on the industry and circumstances. Some of the common applications for skip-tracing services include the following:

Debt Collection

If a client owes your business money, you likely do not have the time or resources to track them down yourself. Assuming you’ve exhausted the basic methods of calling and emailing them, you will need to try a more extensive approach. Skip tracers have the knowledge, experience, and tools to locate the debtor so you can recover your funds.

Whether you have a tenant who skipped town, a client who won’t fulfill their contract, or employees who embezzled business funds, you could greatly benefit by hiring a skip tracer.

Legal Purposes

If your business becomes involved in a lawsuit or any service of process, you may end up relying on another party’s statements to clear your company’s name. Your business could suffer severe consequences if that witness does not show up for their court date.

Skip tracers can locate many persons of interest in legal cases who fail to attend hearings, miss their court dates, and more.

Locating Leads

Some businesses use skip-tracing services to locate potential leads. For example, real estate professionals may hire a skip tracer to identify high-quality buyer or seller portfolios for particular properties.

Evaluating Job Applicants

When hiring a new employee, you want to ensure they are who they claim to be. Skip tracers can conduct thorough background checks, providing deep insights into the person’s criminal history and identity.

Call Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., Today for Highly Experienced Skip Tracing Services

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we have the experience, technology, and databases to provide accurate, timely, and personalized skip-tracing services. If your business is in need of Florida skip tracing services, call Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. today at (954) 566-2523.

Can Investigators Legally Use Drones for Surveillance in Florida?

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 12:00:02 GMT

Private investigators use various methods to track down or keep tabs on an individual. However, they must follow their state's legal guidelines for surveillance during the investigation. Contrary to popular belief, private investigators don't have many special privileges for surveillance compared to the average citizen.

If you are seeking to hire a process server, or private investigation, choose a company that understands the laws and regulations. For example, there are specific guidelines regarding drones for surveillance in Florida. Here is information about what a qualified Florida process server and private investigation firm can and cannot do with drones.

Drone Surveillance Laws in Florida

Florida has a specific legal framework for human surveillance. Florida's Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act, Statute 934.5, outlines the limitations of using drones for surveillance.

This act prohibits any person or political subdivision from using a drone to record footage of privately owned property with the intent to conduct surveillance. People have reasonable expectations of privacy on privately owned property, and surveying them with drones violates those expectations.

While there are a few exceptions to drone surveillance laws in Florida, they don't apply to private investigators, attorneys, or licensed investigators.

Private investigators who conduct illegal surveillance with a drone could be held liable. The person who hired them could also be held responsible through vicarious liability.

Related Florida Drone Laws

Florida has other drone laws private investigators must be aware of. For example, under Florida Administrative Code 51-43.003, no one can operate a drone on managed lands, such as Florida state parks or forests, without authorization from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Neither can drones take off or land on district lands.

Aside from these state laws, different Florida municipalities have their own drone use laws.

When Can Drones Be Used in Private Investigations?

Drones have a few uses within private investigations aside from human surveillance. For example, a law enforcement department may use a drone to take aerial footage of a crime scene. An attorney may use drone footage to help with accident reconstruction.

Drones can also help collect footage of public property inaccessible by foot, such as waterways or remote areas. However, before flying drones, private investigators must be aware of local or state codes that could prohibit the activity in that area.

Can Private Investigators Use Drones in Criminal Investigations?

Law enforcement professionals often outsource their criminal investigations to licensed private investigators. So, if a private investigator is conducting research as part of a criminal investigation, can they use drones to survey the targeted suspect?

The answer is still no. Private investigators would need specific judicial authority, such as a search warrant, to record video footage of a person on their private property. There aren't many exceptions to drone surveillance laws in Florida that would allow a private investigator to survey a person with a drone. Surveillance footage taken with a drone likely wouldn't be admissible evidence in a criminal investigation.

Work With Licensed Private Investigators

If your business needs to hire a private investigator, choose a company that is licensed in your state. Investigators are able to take photos on public property, conduct social media checks, and more.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers reliable private investigation services that adhere to all drone surveillance laws in Florida. Our ethical investigation practices have helped many local and nationwide attorneys collect information to assist their cases. We have also conducted private investigations for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact us today at 954-566-2523 or fill out a form online to request a quote if your business seeks private investigation and surveillance services in Florida.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

How Much Time Do You Have to Serve Legal Documents?

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

If your client is taking legal action against another person or party, whether to sue for compensation or punitive damages, one of the initial steps you’ll need to complete is serving the legal documents to them.

“Serving” is the process of delivering the notice of legal action. It involves verifying that the documents made it to the defendant. The main way to serve legal documents is through a process server in Florida.

To understand how long you have to serve legal documents in Florida, it is helpful to understand two concepts: the statute of limitations and the 120-day rule.

Statute of Limitations for Civil Cases in Florida

A statute of limitations refers to the time you have to take legal action against a person or party after an event. That generally includes hiring the services of a process server in Florida to ensure proper delivery of your documents. Florida has different statutes of limitations for different cases; you’ll want to speak with an attorney about the statute of limitations that applies to your case.

The deadlines for common civil cases in Florida are as follows:

Injury to a person : Four years
Professional malpractice : Two years
Injury to personal property : Four years
Wrongful death : Two years

The clock usually begins ticking on the day the damages occurred. For wrongful death, the statute of limitations begins on the date of the person’s death. For malpractice cases and other instances where the damages are not realized until some time after the actual event, the statute of limitations would begin when the plaintiff reasonably should have realized the damages.

A few rare exceptions to the statute of limitations exist. If you have already surpassed the case’s deadline, speak with an attorney about whether any exceptions may apply to you.

The 120-Day Rule for Serving Legal Documents

Once you have filed a lawsuit in the civil court, you’ll need to adhere to Florida’s 120-day rule for serving the documents to the defendant. You have 120 days from the filing date to serve the notice of the lawsuit to the defendant officially. The typical way to serve these documents is through a professional process server in Florida.

If your business fails to serve the paperwork within 120 days, the defendant can file a motion to dismiss, and the court can dismiss the case. It is possible to refile the complaint if you are still within the statute of limitations. But if you have fallen outside the statute of limitations, you must argue that the state’s Savior Clause applies to your case.

The Savior Clause allows plaintiffs to extend the 120-day rule if they can show “good cause” for why they did not serve the complaint within 120 days. Good cause generally means that the plaintiff attempted to serve the complaint but was not able to locate the defendant or could not otherwise deliver the complaint for valid reasons.

Ensure Timely Service of Process With Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.

In summary, you have 120 days from filing the lawsuit to serve the paperwork, but you can refile if necessary as long as you are within the statute of limitations.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. offers reliable service of process in Florida. If required, we can officially serve your complaint to the defendant through a few different methods. Our efficient services can prevent you from missing the 120-day deadline and needing to refile or prove good cause.

To hire a process server in Florida, call 954-566-2523 or complete the online form .

Can a Process Serving Company Track Bank Accounts?

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Some process serving companies employ professional investigators who track down people who don’t want to be found. To do so, they gather as much information about those people as possible. A business may choose to use these services, including skip tracing, to find people who fail to pay bills or debt.

What Is Skip Tracing?

Skip tracing is the process of locating hard-to-find individuals, often for legal purposes. This service may target individuals who are behind on debts, must appear in court, or are wanted for criminal activity.

Skip tracers are professional, experienced investigators with access to in-depth databases and resources that help them find valuable information about people who cannot otherwise be traced. All the following professionals sometimes hire skip tracers to assist investigations related to their fields:

Bail bondsmen
Debt collectors
Journalists
Insurance fraud investigators
Lawyers
Process servers
Real estate agencies

What Kinds of Information Does Skip Tracing Discover?

Skip tracing usually begins with an attempt to find the contact information for an unreachable person. Florida skip tracers may research real estate records to find the person’s current address or search internet databases for their email and phone number. Often, skip tracers are able to locate individuals through this initial step.

If they can’t, they’ll move on to researching any of the following information about the person:

Address history
Civil court records
Credit data
Criminal records
Deep web data
Employment history
Social media accounts
Tax records

Skip tracers may also contact a person of interest’s family members and friends as part of the investigation. These individuals are often privy to a person’s whereabouts, even when that person is hiding their location from the general public. An individual’s family members may also have ideas about where the person of interest may have gone.

Do Investigators Track Bank Account Information?

A licensed Florida Investigator may be hired to research a person’s financial information as part of their investigation. This may include information about their credit report or any bank accounts they recently opened. When investigating people who are behind on their bills or owe a significant amount of debt, identifying recently opened accounts can provide valuable information about the person’s financial activity.

Licensed Florida investigators may be able to find a person’s bank account information, but this is relatively rare. They’ll use bank account information only to determine your whereabouts.

Professional Integrity of Licensed Investigators

Licensed Florida investigators operate within the bounds of Florida’s investigative laws. People who hire skip tracers for legal purposes typically choose professionals who show integrity within their searches and only use a person’s private information for tracking purposes.

Also, licensed Florida investigators don’t investigate for personal reasons. A business cannot hire a skip tracer to track down a family member or friend without a business reason.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.: Reliable Florida Licensed Investigators

If you’re looking for a professional licensed investigation service for your business, turn to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. Our highly trained investigators use in-depth data analysis and have access to numerous resources to determine the likeliest location where a person of interest can be found.

If a business is seeking to hire our Investigators or request a quote, call Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. today at 954-566-2523 or complete the online form .The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

How Does a Process Server Manage When a Recipient Tries to Run?

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Florida process servers have one main job: to ensure the delivery of legal documents to relevant parties. But those legal documents often come with unpleasant news, such as notice of legal action against the served party. As a result, it isn’t uncommon for a recipient to try to avoid or outright decline the delivery from the process server.

But is it possible for a recipient to evade the delivery? A qualified company that provides process server service understands how to manage sneaky recipients.

How Do Process Servers Ensure Delivery?

Delivering legal documents is a serious process that necessitates proof of delivery. The proof is a legal requirement. You don’t want to serve a lawsuit on someone only to find out months later that the lawsuit documents never reached the person. As a result, Florida law (like many other states) dictates the delivery of legal documents through a process server.

A Florida process server ensures the receipt of the legal documents on the served party. The preferred way to do so is through personal service of process, which involves personally handing the documents to the party in the lawsuit.

Suppose repeated attempts at personal process delivery fail. In that case, the process server may be able to hand the documents to another person who lives in the intended recipient’s home. Other allowable procedures may include:

Delivering the documents to the recipient’s work address
Delivering the documents through certified mail
Publishing notice in a local publication

However, there are many rules and regulations that apply to any alternative forms of service of process, and these must be followed to ensure proper service.

What Happens When Someone Avoids or Declines a Florida Process Server?

If the intended recipient of legal documents knows they are being sued or facing other legal action, they may try to avoid or decline the delivery. However, legally, a person cannot outright decline service of process in Florida.

Refusing a process of service in Florida is a class one misdemeanor. The Florida process server could contact local law enforcement to report the refusal. A class one misdemeanor may lead to consequences like:

Up to one year in jail
Up to $1,000 in fines

Sometimes, threatening this action is enough to persuade the recipient to accept the delivery.

On occasion, a recipient responds to a process server with violence. Doing so is a third-degree felony, which can lead to consequences like:

Up to five years in prison
Up to $5,000 in fines

Professional process servers won’t hesitate to involve local law enforcement if a recipient becomes violent during a delivery attempt.

A qualified process server will do everything possible to serve legal documents to the intended recipients. As a result, trying to avoid, decline, or refuse a process delivery could lead to additional legal consequences beyond what the initial legal paperwork details.

Work With a Reliable Florida Process Server

If your business is seeking to hire a process server in Florida, working with a reliable, professional process server can ensure your legal documents reach their intended recipient swiftly. Professional process servers know how to deliver documents to seemingly unreachable parties. They know the ins and outs of Florida process server laws and use them to their advantage to serve avoidant recipients.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. is a dependable process-serving company and private investigative agency ready to assist your business with serving legal documents. We have 30+ years of experience in this field and provide unlimited attempts per address.

Contact Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. today at 954-566-2523 or complete the online form to submit a service request.

Service on Private Mailboxes

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 01:00:37 GMT

We serve private mailboxes on a regular basis. These include places like The UPS Store, Pak-N-Ship locations, etc. However, these are only done in special cases for individuals and corporations.

This is based on Florida Statute 48.031.

Transcript:

The state has some rules and some changes, which I also want to tell you about, that came about in 2004. We were having so many problems in serving corporations, where they were hiding behind a mailbox facility, a Pak-N-Ship, one of those places, using a suite number with an actual box number, where we couldn’t get to serve them because they were hidden. There was no place for their home address.

The legislature then amended the statute to allow us, if the individual/corporation uses a private mailbox facility as their place of business, and you can determine that they still maintain a mailbox there, you can serve the attendant , which then stopped all of that nonsense and craziness.

The other statute is that if the only address discoverable through public record is a private mailbox, and you can determine that the person is still there, if it’s a private individual, yes, you can now serve the mailbox attendant as well.

…but you have to make sure that he still maintains a box there. That’s part of the statute. So, what we normally do is, we’ll walk in, we see it’s a mailbox. The first thing we ask before we can even tell them who we are, “I have a delivery for XYZ Corporation. Do they still maintain box 214?”

“Yes, they do.”

“Served.”

Investigative Services We Offer: Surveillance

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 03:56:31 GMT

One of our most common investigative services we provide is surveillance. There are a slew of reasons someone would want or need a surveillance done, whether for personal reasons or for reasons related to corporate matters. With their level of training and access to certain databases and tools, private investigators are able to glean information that cannot be found through common searches. When performing surveillance, for instance, they go beyond researching and become physically involved, carrying out actions such as capturing photo and video and staking out at a location for hours on end.

At our company, we don’t usually take on personal matters when it comes to surveillance. If you suspect your wife is cheating on you and you want someone to follow her sneaking around with other men, we aren’t the people you want to contact. Our clients are usually attorneys and insurance companies and professionals.

As an example of the types of cases we see, someone may be claiming an injury , and they may wrongfully claim this injury, in the hopes of gaining some sort of compensation, usually money. This injury may be from a car accident or may be the driving force behind a workers compensation case.

Regardless of the situation, if you need surveillance work done, be sure to hire a professional investigator. We are always ready to fulfill your investigative requests.

Effective PIs know how to maneuver

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 04:03:56 GMT

Not everything can be taught. Either you have it or you don’t. That’s the way it goes, sometimes. As far as private investigators are concerned, they have to possess a certain set of skills that allows them to get the job done without blowing their cover. They know how to approach certain situations and know how and when to move and where to move to. They know the props they might need. They know how to stay in character. They know the signs to look for.

They know how to maneuver.

Training is necessary. That part is sort of like music theory. It provides explanations. It tells them what is happening and tells them what to do and why they’re doing what they’re doing. The actual surveillance is the test. Private investigators must apply what they’ve learned in training and use whichever tactics are applicable, because they may not all be necessary in a given situation. The answers aren’t laid out, so it’s up to them to decide what to do and how to do it. ♦

Transcript:

…so when I go out on a surveillance, and I know Charles; this is Charles Boneh. He’s a surveillance operator that works with me. He has his own company out of Miami. He has similar training but from a foreign government.

When we go out on surveillance, we just don’t pull up our car, sit, and hope the guy comes out of the house or, you know, that sort of thing. I remember a job that Charles did for me, I think it was up in Stuart or one of those places up there, where his training was able to get the goods of the person…he was outside, up the street, maybe 50 yards up from the house. He’s watching it. But he’s also listening. He’s looking at what’s going on. And he hears this noise coming from the back of the house.

So, he leaves his surveillance position and drives around the corner and starts going up this little hill. And he looks back down at the house and hears the person that we’re trying to surveille, in the swimming pool, a young lady who says she cannot bend, she cannot use her back, she’s in all kinds of trouble and distress because she was in this automobile accident. And here she is, diving into her pool. Charles is sitting there videotaping her, you know. She gets out of the pool, gets up on her lounge chair, and she starts stretching her legs, touching her forehead with her legs, and Charles has got her all on tape.

Now, I believe that any other surveillance operator would’ve stayed in his static position and waited til somebody came out the door to get in their car to go follow them wherever they were gonna go. It’s a difference in training.

So, make sure that your P.I. that you’re using to do surveillance specializes in it. He’s got some skills. He knows how to manipulate. He knows how to be a chameleon. He can change colors, change looks. He’s got a variety of cameras, not only handheld, but hidden, a buttonhole in your glasses, in your baseball cap. Whatever the situation may need. Because your player may get out of the car and go into a mall. Well, hey, this is the best time. Let’s get in there with a hidden camera and follow this person around while they’re carrying bagloads of stuff when they say they can’t carry anything. Or doing their shopping, standing on their feet when they say they can’t walk. These are the different kinds of skills that I’m talking about.

Investigative Services We Offer

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 04:10:43 GMT

Although the bulk of our work comes from clients wanting documents served, we also conduct investigations and carry out the investigative services mentioned in this graphic, on a regular basis. People who request these services may include attorneys doing work for insurance companies and insurance companies themselves, for instance, when accidents happen.

Investigations can range from minor to in-depth, depending on the information being sought and the severity of the matter at hand. At the end of the day, they are always needed.

25 Years in Business

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 04:18:11 GMT

It is an honor to say we’ve come this far. But, more importantly, the only reason we are here is because of YOU . So, first things first, we want to simply say, “Thank you,” for your business and for trusting us to carry out your service of process and investigative needs.

During these 25 years, we have built countless relationships, many of which are still standing strong today. With these bonds has come trust from all parties involved, and this is the main reason why we have been able to maintain our reputation within the legal realm of South Florida.

With our recent change in ownership, we are looking forward to taking our business to the next level. This involves optimization and servicing more clients on a more widespread basis, implementing the advantages technology has the opportunity to provide. But in order to effectively expand, we have to first make internal expansions. In the past couple years alone, we have made adjustments in different areas, in an effort to better please you and to increase our exposure and to ensure we are carrying out our services to the best of our ability. As with anything, if you want to see something different, you have to do something different. So, we are taking heed to this ideology and are wishing for the best, moving forward.

That being said, we are always open to your questions and concerns and any suggestions you, our clients, may have. Taking the time out to voice your thoughts to us allows us to see the other side of the business, from your perspective. And engaging with that point of view helps us to identify any areas that may need improvement. So, please, feel free to reach out to us or leave reviews on any platform. We appreciate the feedback.

Thank you, again, for allowing us to see 25 years in business. Here’s to many more to come!

We're here to please you

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 03:22:25 GMT

You, the client, are our number one priority. Therefore, we always want to complete service, and we always try our best to get this done as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

Transcript:

If we don’t get the guy, then we have to face you.

You have to understand that it’s an embarrassment for us, as professionals, that we haven’t gotten the guy served yet. We like to get them served the first time out. Be done with it. Get rid of that person. Because, the quicker we turn in the paper, we’re on to something else.

Most process servers will serve twenty to forty papers a day, good process servers. That includes your records custodian subpoenas all the way up to your divorce summonses.

Keep the PI in the loop

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 04:31:40 GMT

Surveillance is a key aspect of private investigation work.

Clients may request surveillance when they know their target subject will be difficult to capture through traditional methods of service of process alone. Or they may want to gain more insight on an individual or a location. At the end of the day, the client wants to build a case, so private investigators step in to help make this happen.

Here , you can learn more about the different instances that sometimes require private investigation. Surveillance can be used in all types of cases and usually requires extensive work by the private investigator, meaning hours of observation. However, the investigator can only work with what the client provides. This means the client must allot a certain number of hours to get the job done and must give as detailed of a description as possible of the subject, for instance, so the investigator knows what, or who, to look for. Other details include the model and make of the subject’s vehicle(s) and daily routines.

This page gives a nice and brief overview of how a PI moves. A reasonable number of hours are needed as surveillance requires the investigator to sit for hours on end and do nothing but watch for activity, which, sometimes, doesn’t even happen.

The client pays for the type of surveillance that will get done. In other words, you get what you pay for. If the client only chooses to pay for an hour of surveillance, chances are, he or she won’t reap much. But if at least four or five hours are on the table, for instance, the probability of obtaining something valuable would be much higher.

Just as with service of process, the client must put himself or herself in the private investigator’s shoes. The client should ask him- or herself questions such as:

What time of day should this be done?
What does John Doe’s typical schedule look like?
What does John Doe look like?
What are we trying to prove?

Most importantly, it should be remembered that the PI and the client are working together as a team. That’s what matters and is what helps to make the job successful. ♦

Transcript:

When you set up a surveillance, make sure you give your operator all of the information he’s gonna need, especially how many hours you’re gonna give him. Don’t shortchange yourself. Don’t think you’re gonna find somebody and follow them and give the guy eight hours to do it when it’s a very important, high-profile, high-dollar case. Don’t do that, because you’re not gonna get anything; you’re gonna waste your money.

So, it’s up to you, as paralegals, to convince your clients that, “Hey, you want the goods. Expect to spend some money.”

Most investigators do surveillance charge about $100 an hour, some a little more, some a little less. But it’s about an average of $100 an hour. Give them a dollar figure. You’ve got $3,000 to work with. I could videotape anybody anywhere in any position you want, okay, in 30 hours. Don’t say, “I need it done this morning,” and you’ve got four hours, because you barely get enough time to drive there in four hours in some of these things.

So, make sure that you have down the hours that the investigator can work and give them all the information possible, especially if you have pictures.

You don’t wanna do what I did once when I was doing a job. I was given an address, given a car, given a tag number, and I was told it was a Hispanic female. Period. I went there. I set up across the street. Hispanic female comes out of the house, gets to the same car, and she starts washing the car. Now, I got 45 minutes of a person washing a car, bending over, kneeling down, laying on a thing scrubbing things, every position you could possibly think of, and I’m thinking, “I got her solid.”

I come back. I present the tape to the attorney. He looks at it. He says, “That’s not her.” I said, “She’s Hispanic, female, this house, this address, this car.” He said, “Oh, no. The person we’re looking for is 280 pounds.”

Well, why didn’t you tell me this? This girl was a little 100-pound nothing. If we had that information, we wouldn’t have wasted the time, we wouldn’t have wasted the video. Okay? So, make sure you give all the information that you’ve got because the tiniest little detail can be the difference between a good surveillance and a bad surveillance.

Electronic Statuses

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 04:42:43 GMT

Here, Bob gives a little insight to our Web Package system we offer.

Aside from this Web Package system our clients have access to 24/7, they also receive electronic statuses from us as soon as they are entered into our database. Each time our servers make an attempt on a paper, they provide this to our office staff, and we physically enter it in the system. These status updates generate automatic e-mails that go to our clients so they are aware of what’s happening with their papers. Once a job is closed out and a paper is served and a signed affidavit is scanned into our system, an automatic e-mail is generated and sent to the client as an alert. In this e-mail, along with the service details, a link is provided that gives the client access to a digital copy of their return of service.

Clients can also call us at any time during business hours, and we respond to their requests and inquiries right away. If an address we are attempting is unsuccessful and further instructions are needed, this is relayed to the client in the status e-mail that is generated. It’s our duty as professionals to make sure they are kept abreast on their services. At the end of the day, they are trusting us to perform a service for them, so we do everything in our power to get the paper served. ♦

Transcript:

What we’ve implemented to kind of circumvent all of the different problems that I’ve seen over my 20 years of doing this is we’ve started using an electronic service that is password-protected. You, as a paralegal, would get a username and a password for an electronic site that you can go to that you’re only gonna see your work and nobody else’s. And nobody can see anybody else’s work in the system.

You can check at any time of the day or night and look at the status of all your papers. You can go in there and say, “Well, I got a paper on John Doe. I gave it to them two days ago. Let me just check.” On the internet, on the website, put in your username and password. Here comes all your jobs. “Ooh, it says completed.” Open it up, “Oh, served last night, 10:30, individual.”

Then, there’s a block on the website that you can actually click on and get a return of service, right there on the spot. It’s not signed; can’t be signed. But it’s at least something you can put in your file until the process server actually comes in and signs the original.

This is a new system that’s been set up. It’s been going around town. We were fighting it in the beginning because we didn’t have a lot of faith in it. But all the bugs have been worked out of it now. And that’s why we’re using it now. So, if you use my company, that’s what you’ll get. You’ll get an electronic status.

Process Server vs. Sheriff

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 04:54:55 GMT

Service in Courtroom

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 04:00:03 GMT

Service in a courtroom is usually only condoned in certain circumstances, and, of course, the rules of service of process vary by state.

In this opinion piece shared by Mark Shapiro , we see that service while court is in session is frowned upon. And this is understandable for common sense reasons, such as disruption. However, Mark also mentions that people can usually be served as they are walking in and out of court.

At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we have had to serve individuals at the courthouse a number of times because this was one of the only, if not the only, ways service would have been successful. If someone is in deep water and knows documents are going to be on the way at some point, he or she may try and avoid service, although, all this does is prolong the overall process; it doesn’t grant the person immunity from facing consequences just because service was not completed.

However, if an attorney knows the defendant is going to be at a specific courthouse at a specific time, he or she may request that we send out a process server to catch the person entering or leaving the courtroom. A description is ideally provided so the server knows who to look for. This approach serves as a surefire way to obtain service because when someone has a court date, that person will usually show up to avoid future consequences. Therefore, although Bob tells us service in a courtroom is not allowed, in some instances, as process servers, we are able to bend the rules. ♦

Transcript:

…serving in a courtroom…

You can’t serve in a courtroom unless the judge gives you permission to do so. I had an instance where that happened. I don’t know if all you remember the case where the gentleman was allegedly, well, I guess he was convicted, so it wasn’t allegedly anymore, killed a bunch of boaters out on the intercoastal because he was drunk, speeding in his powerboat. Okay?

We had, our company had the pleasure of serving this man for the families of the deceased. And, he was being held in a, hidden, in a Sunrise rehab center, where you can’t serve anybody in a rehab center. They were hiding there. So, I went to the judge. I knew he was gonna have a hearing. Went to the judge, spoke with him personally, told him what I had, told him what was going on, he said, “You, be in my chambers tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.” I was there. They brought the individual in for the hearing, and the judge allowed me to serve him right there in front of him, because of the circumstances.

So, that’s another case. You cannot serve inside the courtroom.

Personal injury claims: Do the wrongful prevail?

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 23:18:04 GMT

by: Johnelle Rodriguez

People fake injuries all the time. And they get paid for it.

Wrongful claims are common, and because of them, private investigators are usually needed to really dig into the situation to help the parties involved reach a decision as to whether the claimant is being truthful.

“The video doesn’t lie,” Bob Fischer, president of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., says in regard to the surveillance that takes place in these cases.

And he’s right. What evidence would be more effective than actual footage of the claimant? Video, for the most part, is totally objective and can show whether a person is faking his or her injury.

“We don’t have to do anything to enhance or embellish it,” Bob says. “We just film it, and it speaks for itself.”

The most popular type of fraud we see take place at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. is workers’ compensation fraud . Right after that are slip and fall cases . There are also medical malpractice suits, staged car accident injuries, and people claiming injuries that are difficult to detect, such as soft tissue injuries.

But we have to keep in mind that not everyone is trying to be devious. People actually do get hurt and deserve some sort of compensation for it. However, we have to keep our eyes open for those who try to beat the system.

So, where do private investigators fit into the picture?

Surveillance is usually done on all cases as part of the case work-up, and most of it is done on slip and fall and traffic accidents, where the person is claiming an injury or is claiming he or she is unable to do certain things or lost quality of life. With medical malpractice, the subject is claiming the doctor performed a wrong procedure, resulting in a loss of quality of life.

“They can’t bowl anymore. They can’t golf anymore. They can’t walk for miles like they used to or bicycle ride,” Bob explains.

Surveillance operators usually go out and surveil the individuals for two or three days, and after that, they’re able to determine whether the person is telling the truth. These services are usually ordered by the insurance adjuster or the attorney, based on the claim and/or statements made by the claimant.

Sometimes, the attorney will simply have a gut feeling that someone is lying. It can be something the person said or the types of bills being turned in for medical procedures that will raise red flags. Just as the adjusters deal with these types of cases all the time, so do attorneys. So, they know what to look for and what’s common or uncommon. This when investigators are brought into the picture and it is decided the case is going to be fought not settled.

To prevent bias, private investigators may avoid asking the client, whether it’s an attorney or an adjuster, what the case is about. Knowing what the claimed injury is could naturally cause investigators to look for certain cues, even if this is not done intentionally. If they have to testify in court, their behinds will be covered if they are oblivious to the injury.

If the P.I. has to get on the stand and is asked, “Did you know beforehand that this individual had a back problem?,” the response would be, “No, we did not.”

It may be asked again, “Oh, you didn’t?”

And the P.I. will respond, “No, we did not.”

Investigators regularly have to appear in court and authenticate their work on these cases. They authenticate the surveillance tapes, verifying they’re the ones who performed the work, what they saw, they did not alter the tapes, this is what they do for a living, and that they are licensed. Dozens of questions are asked while they’re on the stand. And although these investigators and their work are legitimate, others will try to disqualify them based upon their histories or their licensing. However, the attorneys hiring these investigators will usually have counter questions to emphasize and bring to light their credibility.

So, any possibility of being biased toward the claimant can automatically and truthfully be denied if the P.I. is never made aware of the injury when introduced to the case. If the video footage clearly shows the person is lying and does not have a back problem, for instance, the investigator does not want to be accused of pinpointing that portion of the surveillance or setting it up in any way.

Sometimes, surveillance isn’t done at all because what the person is claiming is obvious.

But sometimes, attorneys are so over-zealous to get something on the plaintiff that they’ll ask the investigators, “Well, you know, they’re claiming a back injury. Can you set something up where they pick something up?” This used to happen more often in the past but is not so frequent anymore because there are laws against this type of behavior. It’s ironic: Attorneys are all about getting to the truth of the matter, but this type of request definitely goes against that ideal.

Say the subject is a male, and an attractive girl is strategically placed at the back of the guy’s business. She has a heavy box that she needs help picking up and put into her car or something along those lines. She will wait for the guy to come out and will then flirt with him and ask him for assistance.

“Of course, injured or not injured, guys will do anything to make it with a woman,” Bob says. The guy will go over and pick up the box, and then we see it’s clear there is no obvious injury present.

“To me,” Bob says, “that’s entrapment.” He believes this is how the court has ruled on these types of situations.

There have been times where we’ve done surveillance on people claiming one thing, but the video will show something different. For instance, there was a woman who used to do daily bike rides and claimed she was no longer able to ride her bicycle. She said she couldn’t play with her grandchildren and the like. Surveillance was done, and she was videoed doing a 10-mile bike ride without stopping. Footage was taken from a high vantage point in her backyard, and she was seen diving into the swimming pool. Her family came over, and she was throwing the grandchildren up in the air and catching them.

Once again, the video doesn’t lie.

Aside from surveillance, it’s examined whether the individual is being litigious. Maybe this person has sued in the past for the same kinds of things, possibly in other states where he or she has previously lived. Some people do this professionally. And if this is common behavior for the individual, it will show in the background checks. If what the person is doing borders on criminal behavior, he or she can be arrested and charged with perjury.

Most of the time, when information is presented to the attorney as to what’s going to be presented in court, the attorney will advise the person to drop the case. I’ll give an example of what would be considered criminal. The subject of this story planned a whole scheme and was eventually charged with fraud against the court. Bob believes he did some time for it.

This guy, we’ll call him Sam, was at a bar sitting next to someone, talking about his plot. However, we were unable to record this conversation because taping someone’s conversation intended to be private is against the law. But we were able to testify in court. We were able to get the name of the person Sam was talking to and subpoenaed him as a witness. Then, what the investigator overheard was confirmed.

“So, it’s not always surveillance that gets them,” Bob explains.

Some insurance adjusters will not opt for surveillance because of money. They’ll only have a policy limit of $300,000, for example, while the person is claiming $1,000,000. So, they don’t want to spend the money because they know somewhere along the line, they’ll probably settle for $400,000 or $500,000 in this case. From the adjuster’s standpoint, they only want to spend the money when they feel it’s necessary. If they’ve already decided after reading the case file that they are going to settle, they aren’t going to hire an investigator, and they’re not going to do any work on it.

Not every adjuster wants to roll the dice unless something comes up in discovery, in the medical records, or in background checks, which are always researched, that points them in the direction that this person may have had a claim once before for the same kind of injury. With some adjusters, they will work every case the exact same way. They will spend the same amount of money on every case they do. They will do the surveillance. They will do the background checks. They will do everything necessary to disprove the person’s claim so they can get a defense verdict and not have to pay the limits on the policy.

The sad truth is, if the claimant is lying, he or she will probably get away with it. It’s just the way the legal system works, especially when people are worried about money. So, to be completely broad, the options for someone faking injuries are:

The person is fined.
The person is imprisoned.
The person gets away with it.

Sometimes, a settlement is offered in the beginning, but the defendant’s side may not want to accept and goes for being awarded the large amount of money. However, if they lose the case, they are responsible for all court costs. If they win the case but are awarded less than originally intended, they are responsible for paying those costs as well.

So, as we see here, the role of the P.I. is crucial. And something as simple as surveillance can either make or break the claimant’s assertion. But, there are loopholes in the system, such as the claimant providing medical records and evidence for injuries that are hard to disprove. At the end of the day, whether the deceitful will prevail is all a test of fate and rhetoric.

What happens when someone claims an injury?

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 23:39:54 GMT

Service on Military Bases

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 23:55:57 GMT

As we shared in a previous post, service of process cannot take place on federal property.

Service on military bases can be tricky. Individuals cannot be served straightforwardly on military bases. Unless service is authorized, there is no guarantee it will be successful. However, sometimes, members of the military must be served, just as anyone else.

According to the Code of Federal Regulations for the Army (32 C.F.R. § 516.10):

“DA officials will not prevent or evade the service of process in legal actions brought against the United States or against themselves in their official capacities. If acceptance of service of process would interfere with the performance of military duties, Army officials may designate a representative to accept service. DA personnel sued in their individual capacity should seek legal counsel concerning voluntary acceptance of process.”

As Bob mentions in this video, the provost on the base is usually the point of contact and determines whether service will be authorized.

For more information regarding service of process on military bases, visit How to Serve Legal Documents to Members of the U.S. Military .

Transcript:

Military bases, because you have a lot of foreclosures going on now, of course you can’t serve anybody in the military anyway for a foreclosure, but if you have service of process on somebody on a military base, you cannot serve them on the base.

Normally, what happens is you have to go and ask to see the provost. They will escort you in to see the provost. You will tell him, “I have a summons I need to serve on Sergeant Smith. It’s a divorce action.” Okay. The provost then has the option. He can have Sergeant Smith meet you outside the front gate or he can ask Sergeant Smith to come into his office and be a witness to the service and sign off on it. That’s the only way you can serve on a military base, if the provost is present and authorizes you.

Social media evidence is actually a thing.

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 00:14:14 GMT

by: Johnelle Rodriguez

If you’ve ever been called for jury duty, you know the process of selecting jury members is lengthy.

First, you report to the general area with the members of the large jury pool. Then, you wait.

And wait.

After what feels like forever, you listen for the names that are called, in hopes that you don’t hear yours. At least, that’s the typical person’s wish. When I served on my first jury a couple years ago, I had a gut feeling I was going to be selected, even if it wasn’t for the finalized jury. And I was. I was chosen for the initial group that was introduced to the trial, and I was also chosen for the final jury. I didn’t mind, though, because I actually was interested in the experience and wanted to see what it was like. However, the entire trial lasted a week, and it seemed as though it was dragging.

After the first set of people are selected to hear what the trial is about and be interviewed by both the plaintiff and the defendant attorneys, six to twelve jurors are chosen along with alternates. The alternates stay throughout the duration of the trial, but they do not participate in the deliberations unless they end up actually replacing a juror.

Sometimes, background checks are performed on potential jurors in a case by the attorneys arguing the case. This is done specifically to determine whether they’ve been involved in previous lawsuits, if they have criminal backgrounds, if they hold gun permits, or if they have bad driving records, for instance.

“It helps attorneys weed out people they don’t want or to accept people they do want based upon their background,” Bob, president of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., says.

But not only background checks are performed; social media searches are also done, and attorneys have their own reasons for wanting these.

Our company does jury selection background checks about once or twice a month, depending on how busy our clients are. The attorneys who use Bob trust that the information he obtains is accurate. Several of them have selected jurors based on social media evidence we have provided.

A number of our client law firms use us to perform checks for every trial they’re involved in. They’ll provide us a list of potential jurors, and we then execute background checks and social media searches and provide our findings to them while they’re in the jury selection process. All the jurors on the list are researched, even the backups. And these requests are time sensitive. Sometimes, Bob will even have to research these individuals from home on an overnight basis, sending this information to clients so they have it first thing in the morning.

What we do is find the person’s social media footprint and copy all their Facebook input, postings, and dialogue with Facebook friends. (Remember, this is all public record that is not covered under the Privacy Act because it is posted online.) What’s being looked for is potential abuse of information by the juror, who may be talking about or inquiring about the case or even mentioning the fact they’re involved in jury duty.

Many of us have gone on people’s Facebook pages and other social media platforms and have been able to gather information about them, even if it’s something as simple as viewing pictures of them and reading comments. Some of us have privacy settings enabled, but even then, not everything is hidden from the public. By doing something as simple as visiting someone’s social media page, we can get a brief insight on who we are looking at.

“Sometimes, in jury selection, I’ll do the background checks, and I’ll do the social media checks, and everybody is squeaky clean and it is a good jury,” Bob says. “And you gotta live with the verdict.”

As simple a procedure it may seem, to look at someone’s social media footprint and gather information, what is found can have a great impact and can sometimes be potentially very damaging for the case.

Attorneys use what is discovered based upon whether they need to challenge the verdict and based upon the juror’s use of social media about decisions or their decision-making process or evidence. Some information we have found from potential jurors has been significant in assisting several attorneys in petitioning the court to set aside a verdict based upon the behavior of the juror through social media.

Recently, a client of ours lost a case. He didn’t listen to his gut feeling. There was something inside him that led him to believe something was going on and that one or two of the jurors had done something to sway the other jurors. After doing a social media search on these individuals, we found evidence that was presented to the attorney, who was then able to have a mistrial declared. Now, they’re pending another trial.

So, this type of search can be helpful at times.

But it can be damaging as well. It depends which side you’re on and what you’re looking for in the jurors you’re selecting.

There’s even a whole industry in the legal profession where professionals are hired to select jurors, especially in high-profile cases. These professionals are looking for bias from all angles. What will be helpful all depends on which side of the case they’re on.

If someone is looking for bias against his or her client, this may show up in social media through events that jurors attend or through their comments about similar situations. If bias can be proved, if the case does not go your way, you can then go back and submit a request for retrial because of that bias. If you have the proof through social media, most judges may grant this request.

Use what you’ve got. The Internet is there for a reason. Why not take advantage?

What you SHOULD Do (as a process server)

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 00:24:48 GMT

What NOT to Do (as a process server)

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 00:28:12 GMT

We CANNOT serve on federal property.

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 00:34:44 GMT

As Bob Fischer, president of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., explains, any facility owned by the government, such as a courthouse, cannot have service take place there. It’s the law.

This is something that is common knowledge among process servers and should be known by attorneys. However, in special circumstances, certain rules may apply.

Transcript:

One other thing that I want to bring up is service on federal property. I have experience in this.

One time, I was told by a paralegal, through their attorney, that the subject of the lawsuit was going to be in federal court that day, such and such a courtroom. “Please go down and serve him.” Well, I went down there to serve him, and I’m thinking, “Now, wait a minute.

What’s the statute about serving on federal property?” And I looked it back up again, I hadn’t used it in a long time, and I found out that you cannot serve service of process on federal property. You cannot serve it in a courthouse, a federal courthouse. You cannot serve it on the sidewalk of the federal courthouse.

So, if you have anything of that nature, that you’re gonna give your process server, make sure that you know and that he knows you cannot serve on federal property. He’ll walk up, he’ll drop the paper on the guy sitting on the bench outside the courtroom waiting to go in to see the federal judge. And you think you’ve done a good job. And next thing you know, you’ve got a motion to quash because you served on a federal property.

You can’t do it. You can’t serve at a post office, military bases, anything that’s owned by the government, you cannot serve process. You have to wait until they actually step off the curb, which is what I did. I followed the guy through the courthouse, he was trying to get away from me. Got outside, was walking down the side, he finally crossed the street to get to his car. Soon as he put his foot on the pavement, on the roadway, I served him.

Golf and Charity Work Go Hand in Hand

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 00:41:43 GMT

by: Nancy Fischer and Johnelle Rodriguez

The Men of Good Shepherd Catholic Church (MOGS) hosted its 23rdAnnual MOGS Open Golf Tournament on May 14, 2018, in Tallahassee, FL. Once again, Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. was invited to participate as a sponsor. Bob Fischer, president of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., is an avid golfer and happily agreed to join the tournament and sponsor a hole for this worthy cause.

I, Nancy, am Bob’s wife and the vice president of the company. Bob and I drove up to Tallahassee that weekend and spent time with our good friends, Mike and Linda Nolan, who are the owners of Nolan Process Servers. We got to Tallahassee on Friday, a seven-hour drive, and were excited to see our friends of almost 30 years.

It was predicted that it would rain on Monday morning, so Mike, the event’s chairman, was a little apprehensive. He didn’t want the event to be a flop after all the effort he’d put into it. We prayed the entire weekend that the weather would remain clear, and at each meal’s grace-saying, this became a semi-joke. We were sure God listened to us with a smile. And to our surprise, when Monday arrived, the weather was a bit cloudy, but there was not a single drop of rain the entire day! It poured down in the evening, but at that point, we didn’t care.

The golf tournament was held at the prestigious Golden Eagle Country Club, located in the northeastern section of Tallahassee. The multi-million-dollar homes we observed on the way in from the gate told us this golf course was well cared for. We all got there early to set up and lay out the tables for the silent auction.

Mike collected a fine array of merchandise and gift certificates for the silent auction and raffle. Some of the items presented were autographed footballs, for instance, one from former QB and Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward, and others from notables like current FSU coach Willie Taggard and former FSU coach Bobby Bowden. Additionally, there were two signed baseballs from current FSU coach Mike Martin, who has the highest winning record. To cater to the ladies, there were items such as a tiger eye necklace made by a local jeweler, Massage Envy gift certificates, gift baskets from a local hair salon, and unisex gift certificates for a local high-end car wash service and for a few restaurants.

Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. donated $99.00 to sponsor the “Longest Drive Hole.” Bob won the silent auction on a Seiko watch and an 8 x 10 picture frame from a door prize ticket.

Other ladies from the Good Shepherd Catholic Church group called Wings also volunteered their time to help Linda and I register the golfers and sell them mulligans. To clarify, for non-golfers, mulligans are basically “do-overs” on shots. Each golfer was able to buy two mulligans for a donation of $10.00, and many did just that. They then received goodie bags, which were nice golf shoe bags, as a “thank you” for participating in the tournament.

There were 16 teams with four players on each team. Mostly men played. However, there was a handful of women who participated. Tee off was at 1:00 p.m., and all but three players were on time.

Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and this was evident when they all arrived back at the clubhouse at 5:00 p.m., laughing and joking. We had our evening meal at the clubhouse restaurant. It was deliciously catered by the golf club. The buffet line included delectable dishes such as pulled pork, fried chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans, coleslaw, and, of course, desserts like brownies and cookies. For refreshments, there was a cash bar along with iced tea and water.

After dinner, the golfers were awarded their trophies for categories like “Longest Drive,” “Closest Ball to the Hole,” “Best Score,” and so on.

Bob and Mike’s team didn’t receive any trophies. However, they came in fourth place out of 16 teams, which is an accomplishment in itself. Bob was upset he didn’t get the Longest Drive award, as he is usually an excellent long-distance driver off the tee. To his disadvantage, a tree jumped out right in front of him. Last year, he won in the Closest Ball to the Hole category, and he still proudly displays this trophy.

Bob was pleased with winning the Seiko watch in the silent auction, though, and that made up for the disappointment with the tree incident.

We all went home after the prizes were awarded and agreed to do it all over again next year. The following day, we packed our bags and said our goodbyes and drove back home to South Florida. We laughed with God again because we drove out of Tallahassee in the rain.

This was fine because we were still able to spend time with our best friends, we laughed, we played, and we felt like we did something good for the church and for the community.

We look forward to participating again next year. Not only was it a fun event, but it was a worthy cause for Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Thank you, Mike and Linda Nolan, for inviting us. And great job pulling this all together, Mike. You gave it all you had, as you always do. See you all next year!

Service on Incompetent

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Fri, 18 May 2018 00:51:55 GMT

by: Johnelle Rodriguez

What comes to mind when you think of the word “incompetent?”

According to dictionary.com , “incompetent” has some of the following definitions:

Lacking qualification or ability
Incapable
Being unable or legally unqualified to perform specified acts or to be held legally responsible for such acts (law)
A person lacking power to act with legal effectiveness (law)
A mentally deficient person

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Although service of process and investigations deal with legalities, mental health does play a role in executing these services. To be more specific, if someone is declared “incompetent,” special measures must be taken when serving documents on the individual.

But let’s back up a little.

First off, the court is the only entity that can declare an individual incompetent. This declaration is a medical opinion based on someone’s medical history, mental health issues, or physical health issues. And this is usually determined by a doctor.

“Your husband, your wife, your sister, your brother, your aunt, or your uncle can’t declare you an incompetent without a legal proceeding,” Bob Fischer, president of Professional Process Servers & Investigations, Inc., explains.

When it comes to court cases, anyone has the potential to be involved in one. We have served people who have been deemed incompetent, and they’re usually the defendants in a case. Sometimes, the attorneys for the plaintiff don’t know of the person’s condition until the process server actually goes out and tries to serve him or her. All this being said, there are specific ways to handle these services.

Guardians ad litem are those who sort of act as a voice for the incompetent, in general terms.

“The guardian ad litem is like a power of attorney, in a really broad sense,” Bob says.

They are usually appointed by the court for someone who is declared incompetent and has to be involved in a court proceeding. They usually have the best interest of those they are representing at heart. In order to become a guardian ad litem, you must be appointed by the court by going through a special procedure, proving you can handle the different legal practices for an incompetent person.

Florida Statute 48.042 outlines how these types of services should be handled. As a process server, when you know the individual is incompetent, you must serve under this statute. Two copies of the documents must be served on the person who has control over the incompetent, whether it’s a family member, a hospital administrator, a mental health hospital administrator, or a guardian ad litem. However, a process server who attempts to serve an individual may not have any idea that the person is incompetent. The address the server attempts could be a facility where the person is being kept or a residence, where the person lives. When the server is advised of the person’s condition, this must be verified by documentation provided by the court.

As in any situation, the server must use his or her discretion when seeking to obtain service in a hospital or a mental facility. A process server should know not to just go in and try to find the person and serve the documents at his or her bedside.

Bob says that when he goes to the facility, he makes contact with one of the directors, whether it’s the director of nursing or someone in the facility who has control. He explains why he’s there and the documents he has. Usually, the administrator can be served. Bob typically tries to determine the person’s condition and reason for being at the facility before he tries to serve the documents.

Sometimes, people will be in the hospital to try and avoid service, which has happened to Bob several times. One time, a person faked a heart attack and had the ambulance come and take him to the hospital. Luckily, a neighbor knew what hospital he was in. So Bob found this out, took matters into his own hands and went to the hospital and contacted the local security official. He explained what was going on, and the security laughed a little and said the guy he was looking for did not have a heart attack. He told Bob what bed he was in and where he was located in the hospital. As soon as Bob served him, he got up out the bed and walked out of the hospital, cursing and screaming and hollering at Bob.

“Be very careful,” Bob advises. “Tread very carefully. It’s a very thin line.”

If someone has a real problem, you don’t want to just walk into the hospital and try to serve him or her; the service can potentially put the individual over the edge. But if he or she has not been declared incompetent and is in a hospital, the server can go up to the individual’s hospital room and try to serve the documents.

Say the servee has a heart condition, for instance. Bob would contact the head nurse at the station and make a determination of the severity of the person’s condition, such as if something like serving process could trigger an episode. Therefore, being careful is key. Once he discovers this information, he usually goes back to the client to confirm what should be done next.

For additional information on serving documents in hospitals, check out the following link: How to Serve Papers in a Hospital .

Some mental health facilities will not grant servers access. Some rehabilitation facilities, such as drug rehab and substance abuse rehab centers will not let servers in, either. At times, they won’t even confirm or deny if the person being sought is there. And this is legal, especially if it’s a Federal Class A facility.

“You’re not gonna get anywhere near that individual,” Bob warns.

With halfway houses and some of these facilities, it’s up to the process server to use some ingenuity to get people served. For instance, if it’s an outdoor facility with people hanging out on the street corner or out in front of their apartments, it would be smart for the server to go up and ask for the person.

Grow a heart.

That’s the advice Bob has for some attorneys who just don’t care. Some want the server to go in and deliver documents, regardless of the servee’s medical condition or reason for being in the hospital, when there are other ways to handle the matter.

Risky Business

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Tue, 01 May 2018 01:08:03 GMT

by: Johnelle Rodriguez

It’s dangerous.

Think about it. Imagine you’re home alone and someone you don’t know approaches your front door and starts to knock. The average person will either answer the door with caution or will ignore the knocks if he or she does not know the person; I’d probably do the latter. If it’s dark out, even worse.

Being a process server is a risky job that comes with its own set of hazards.

Just two years ago, a 36-year-old process server was killed from an attack by several dogs ( Dangers of Process Serving Hit Home in Texas ). After she made an attempt at a rural location, she was walking back to her car, which was parked on the road, and was mauled.

Her body was not discovered for several hours, when the caretaker of the dogs finally arrived and called the police.

Another situation in 2016 highlights a sheriff who was shot and killed when serving eviction papers to a man ( Deputy killed, 2 deputies injured, serving eviction notice in Park County; Suspect shot and killed ). Two other deputies accompanying him were also shot but survived. The recipient of the eviction was known to authorities and had even posted on Facebook that the cops wanted him dead.

Therefore, it helps to know who you are serving. Know if this person has a criminal history. Know whether there is a possibility that this person is going to be hostile toward you. If something happens, try to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible.

Bob has had guns pulled on him. There was one instance where if he had not disarmed someone, he would have gotten shot.

Service was taking place with out-of-state papers at an office in Miami-Dade County. Bob had a U.S. Marshal with him along with another process server. The marshal was there to repossess John Doe’s boat. The other process server was there to make sure things went smoothly.

They were taking precaution.

When they entered the office, they saw the Mr. Doe behind his desk, talking on the phone. The receptionist was hostile toward Bob and the two individuals with him. She told them the guy they were looking for was not in and that she didn’t want them in the office. She told them to leave.

The marshal identified himself with his credentials. At this time, Bob went into the office and identified himself as an officer of the court. Mr. Doe reached over to his left-hand side into a duffel bag, and Bob could immediately tell he was pulling out a gun. Mr. Doe racked a round into the chamber, and as soon as Bob saw this, he went over the desk and knocked over the chair.

Mind you, Bob is a tall guy, well over six feet. So his height was to his advantage.

Bob stood on Mr. Doe’s hand that was holding the gun, and then the marshal ran in and put Mr. Doe in handcuffs.

“The man lost his boat and lost his freedom,” Bob said.

Aside from dealing with guns, Bob has had people hit him with their cars and throw hot coffee on his face.

As crazy as all of this may sound to us, process servers can face this sort of thing every day; it is the norm. People may get up in their faces and will sometimes put hands on them. And this is considered assault. Sometimes, the local authorities step in and come to the scene in assistance.

However, process servers aren’t well liked by a lot of different agencies, especially sheriff’s departments, since they take a lot of work off their hands.

According to Florida Statues, papers can be served 24 hours a day, 6 days a week (Sundays are not included). Depending on the time of year, when it starts to get dark outside earlier, process servers may have a certain cut-off time when they will stop attempting papers. If not, they run the risk of people becoming afraid. For instance, a single mother most likely would not open the door during later hours of the evening.

However, there have been instances where service has had to take place in the middle of the night because that’s the only time the recipient was accessible. There was once a gentleman, John Smith, who was here from the Carolinas, on the beach. The client was with Bob, and they later discovered Mr. Smith was hiding in the dumpster at the back of the hotel parking lot. They knew Mr. Smith only went out at night and would return to the hotel around 1:30, 2:00 in the morning. So he got served at this hour.

All this being said, process servers accept their duty with a grain of salt. All they can do is to be prepared and use proper judgment with each service. From the outside, we don’t see all the dangers process servers face. They are to be highly respected.

It all starts in house

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:00:35 GMT

When we think of serving documents, we think of the act of delivering papers to someone. And although this is essentially what service of process is, we tend to neglect what goes on behind the scenes.

The players include attorneys, paralegals, process servers, and staff of the process serving companies, and they all have respective roles that are equally necessary. Without attorneys, there would be no papers to serve. Without paralegals, work would not be distributed to process servers and communication between attorneys and process serving companies would be virtually nonexistent. Without process servers, there would be no one to serve documents. Without office staff of process serving companies, there would be no one to properly route documents to their rightful servers, there would be no one to generate affidavits of service, there would be no one to generate invoices, there would be no one to communicate between client and server, and there would be no one to micromanage each service to ensure clients are kept abreast of what’s going on.

As you can see, the office staff plays multiple roles, and the ones I listed are only a few. In our office, we have a manager, an assistant manager, a send-away clerk, two data entry clerks, a billing clerk, and an accountant. Each position comes with its own duties and challenges, but it’s important to recognize that every person plays an essential part in the day-to-day functions that make up our business. Without even one of these positions, we would fall short of a consistent flow.

Transcript:

A staff.

I don’t know how many process servers you’ve had dealings with, whether they were large companies or small companies. Staff is usually a sticking point, where, “I’m not getting my returns on time, I don’t get any callbacks on what’s going on. You’ve had my paper for three days and I haven’t heard anything.” These kinds of things are developed in your staff, the staff of the process serving companies.

In our company, we have a staff of seven. And each person has a specific duty. We have one girl whose only job is to sit there and field the questions from the paralegals or the legal secretaries who call and want to know this or that. How much is this? What about that? Whatever question it is, that person is there. I call her my “fixer.” She fixes everything. She’ll talk to you. She’s the nicest person in the world. She’ll make you happy. You might be really upset because you just came out of your attorney’s office and your attorney’s screaming at you, wanting to know why things aren’t done.

What Client Want

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 20:32:32 GMT

Attorneys can be demanding.

People, in general, can be persistent when they want something. At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., our number one goal is to please the client. In order to do this, we must keep in mind what the client wants from us.

Below is a general infographic of what clients are typically looking for from process servers and process serving companies.

More on what we Do

Tue, 02 Jan 2018 21:00:26 GMT

Bugs.

This is another name for listening devices that are used covertly. Our company, Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., has the capability to electronically “sweep” for these bugs, and we do this for several large companies; they get swept twice a year.

To be more specific, we have had high-profile individuals here in South Florida who have been involved in divorce cases and hired us to sweep their new residences. The motive behind this was to make sure their spouses were not using these audio devices or hiring a detective to work on their behalf. We can also do counter-surveillance measures to make sure the husband or wife is not being followed by another investigator.

This type of service is something that is understandable for well-known individuals. However, it is not something we do on a regular basis.

Planting a bugging device on someone’s car to track where he/she is going seems like a simple fix to catch someone’s whereabouts. However, this is not legal. The only way this can lawfully be done is if someone hires an investigator and a device is placed on a vehicle this person owns. For instance, a guy may want to know where his wife is taking his or their vehicle at 2:00 in the morning. If you were in this position, wouldn’t you want to know the same?

“But we believe in not even getting close to the grey line,” Bob, President of Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., warns.

The work we do is always legitimate, and we always make sure to abide by the law and by the Florida Statutes, especially because the majority of our clients are law firms.

A privilege we have, which is a key advantage for investigators and law enforcement agencies in general, is special access to databases and sites that allow us to obtain discreet information about individuals. For instance, say we are working on an accident case and have an accident report. There is a witness, John Doe, with an address and date of birth taken by the police officer at the scene. Three years later, the case is going to court and the witness needs to be subpoenaed to take a deposition. However, it is discovered this person moved two years ago.

There are certain sources we use that allow us to locate individuals in circumstances such as these. The company that owns this particular database monitors Bob, our lead investigator, to make sure all their information is secured, locked up, and shredded.

We have a responsibility to protect the privacy of the individual, just as we protect the dates of birth and social security numbers provided in subpoenas for records by redacting them. There is no reason for personal information to get out there. The only other party that needs to have the individual’s information (i.e. vehicle information, tag information, etc.) is the process server going out to serve the document(s).

Here at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we also do simple asset searches of real properties, cars, boats, planes, trains, pretty much anything that is considered to be a real property. When it comes to banking-related information, we are able to obtain this, but because of the amendments to the Privacy Act of 1974 (Computer Matching and Privacy Protection amendments) that were enacted in the 1990s, as private investigators, with today’s new technology, it is practically next to impossible. However, with a certified copy of a judgment from our clients, we can search banks and search for individual bank accounts by using the person’s information.

Once we obtain this information, we forward it to the client, who then sends over a writ of garnishment and finds out how much money is in the account. This is how attorneys are able to satisfy judgments. Most of this work is actually done electronically.

Our services are not confined within the United States; we actually perform investigative duties internationally. If a client wants to pay money for the team to go to another country, find an individual, and perform surveillance on this person, we can do this. We have a network of mostly retired FBI agents whose members are tactful and ready to take on these heavy jobs.

Once, there was an individual here from Sweden who was claiming a very severe injury. He showed up in court unable to walk, unable to talk, and barely able to lift his head. Afterward, he got on the plane and went back to Sweden. One of our retired FBI agents there was able to get video of the gentleman walking his grandchild into the park, and he was playing with the child, pushing the child on the swings, throwing the child up in the air and catching it.

“It was pretty damaging,” Bob said.

When the man came to his next hearing, he showed up in court in a wheelchair. When the video was shown in the courtroom, the case was thrown out.

Our most popular investigative service at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. is running skip traces. We do about 5-10 of these a day, and we do an average of two background checks a day.

The point of sharing what other services we do on a regular and on a not-so-regular basis is to expose what actually goes into a typical investigation. Sure, serving documents is the bulk of our business, but the investigative side of things is a lot more intricate and is necessary at times. There will always be jobs that require some extra attention and thorough examination.

Even when documents are served to someone, this does not mean that everything is over. There are still trials and hearings and depositions that subsequently take place that ultimately determine the weight of the case, and sometimes, along with these, come investigations of the persons seeking relief.

As I stated in my previous post on surveillance, no, we are not stalkers. However, the investigative work we do requires us to act covertly and use our best judgment to obtain as much information as we can on an individual. The main objective of the investigator is to gather information and nothing more. Investigators do not enforce laws and are not directly involved in the cases they work.

The simple goal is to get to the truth.

Why Surveillance?

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 21:11:38 GMT

White on rice.

When we think surveillance, we think of the investigator being on top of the person of interest, not letting that person out of his sight. In movies and TV shows, we see detectives and officers going on high-speed chases and hiding out on tops of buildings with binoculars to keep an eye on their subjects.

Think of The Wire. In efforts to crack drug cases, the detectives in the show went to all sorts of lengths to catch suspects. They would perch on roofs of buildings, hide on top floors of multiple-story buildings and peer through windows with their binoculars and cameras, and would sit in their patrol cars and surveille for hours on end. They would even go undercover and use deception when necessary, but this did not always turn out well.

Unlike the surveillance done on screen, the type of work done by our company usually involves non-criminal cases, mostly insurance defense work with someone claiming injuries, workers’ compensation injuries, and medical malpractice injuries. Therefore, the people of interest are not the kind who would be considered dangerous.

A typical surveillance is done as follows. We receive an assignment from the client, who is usually an attorney or an insurance adjuster. The client provides us with the individual’s name and address, and lots of times, they want to tell us what the injury being scrutinized is. However, we tend to reject receiving this particular piece of information. If we know what the injury is, we may be biased or may be accused of being biased by the opposing counsel when we get on the stand to testify.

If the subject is claiming a knee injury, for instance, and we know this, we would look out for the person limping or favoring the other leg or moving about as if nothing is wrong. Even if we try to ignore the fact that the injury is known to us, we may subconsciously still examine the individual in a biased manner.

So to avoid any conflict, we choose the oblivious route.

The stakeout typically runs from early morning to early evening and is usually done in the daytime because of the types of people involved. Generally speaking, it is easier to keep an eye on people when they are less suspecting they are being filmed. We usually get to our hiding places early in the morning, around 6, 6:30 a.m. or so, while it is still dark out. We set up on the property down the street, where we can conspicuously watch the individual come in or leave.

As far as equipment goes, the surveillance teams all possess different types of cameras. They use standard handheld cameras, their cellphones, pinhole cameras, buttonhole cameras, cameras in their hats—it all depends on the situation which they decide to use. For instance, if an investigator is following someone in a department store, he cannot realistically use a handheld camera to track this person down. The security will more than likely stop him. So under a circumstance like this, something like a body camera would be used.

When it comes to observing people in their houses or on their properties, things get a little trickier.

Sport hunting concealed cameras, which are camouflaged, are usually used in these situations. If we are having difficulty capturing video footage of someone coming out of a house, we place this type of viewer at the base of a tree with some shrubs around it and get video footage that way, for example.

Audio recording is never allowed and is deemed illegal without permission from the person who is speaking. So if someone is in the privacy of their own space, we, by no means, want to have any sort of soundtrack. If the person gets in the car and drives somewhere, we follow them. There have been people who have claimed they are not working who have left the house at 7:00 a.m. with a toolbox and got in their pickup trucks to start their work day. They go to their worksites, and we then get video footage of them hammering sawing, carrying buckets, etc.

“The video doesn’t lie,” Bob says.

This simple statement describes the foundation of surveillance. What better way to obtain information than to do so completely objectively? By solely speaking to someone, you may never get the whole truth. If money and benefits are involved, some people will lie through their teeth and fabricate injuries in order to collect the “good stuff.” But by recording someone without that person knowing, investigators can see what is really going on, whether the person is being honest or dishonest.

As stated in my previous post, Deception , we never use deception in handling our cases. We also don’t like to encounter the individual or engage in conversation with this person.

Hypothetically, say the investigator is a physically attractive young female. We would never put her in the position to act as though her car is broken down and needs help. She would not go up to the subject and say, “Hey. Can you help me with my car for a second?”

The video is more than enough. It tells the truth, and we never want to have any influence on it.

Communication Between Server and Client

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:13:04 GMT

Probably one of the most, if not the most, important aspects of service of process is communication.

It all starts with the basics. The client reaches out to us, requesting service on an individual or a business. Along with the document, the client sends us specific instructions, such as whether this service should be attempted on a regular or rush basis. In addition, the client may include pictures, descriptions, and special guidelines, such as a specific time window in which the paper should be attempted. Already, communication is being used, and the document has not even been processed yet.

We acknowledge receipt of the document, process the document, and assign it to a server to be attempted. Once the paper leaves the client’s hands, we are responsible for it and everything that happens regarding that particular service. This entails keeping in regular communication with the client without hesitation. Once the paper is attempted, whether it is served or it is not, the client needs to know.

We are usually in touch with paralegals, and sometimes attorneys, and they have deadlines as to when they need notifications. So to avoid them hovering over us and calling us every minute to ask what’s going on with their documents, we try our hardest to reach out to them first. In our office, once servers have updates, they give them to us via e-mail, over the phone, or in person. As soon as we receive these statuses, we enter them into our system and forward them to the client. Sometimes, we call the client to provide this information, depending on how urgent and time-sensitive the service is.

When we require further instructions, such as whether we have permission to attempt an alternate address or how we should generally move forward with serving a document if service has been unsuccessful, we have to reach out to the client. Sometimes, the client does not reply immediately. In these cases, it is our duty to be persistent and continue to try and make contact with the client until we receive a response. That way, we are not holding on to papers for weeks and months at a time.

Sometimes, the client simply has other cases to be worrying about, so that’s where his main focus lies. He will receive our status e-mails and may look right over them if other matters are taking precedence at the time. But if a document, such as a summons, is left inactive for too long, it will expire. So it’s our duty to keep on top of each paper to make sure the statuses we have in our system are up to date.

Interaction between us and the client is imperative from the initial stages up until the document is served and the affidavit of service is signed and mailed to the client. The key to any relationship is communication. At the end of the day, our focus is meeting the client’s needs. Without communication between the server and the client, documents cannot get properly served. And this simple act is the foundation of what we do, right?

Transcript:

We have to make sure that our clients understand what we’re facing. Live a day in our shoes. Walk the walk that we walk, where, you as a paralegal say to your process server, “I have a summons on John Doe. And John Doe is a really nasty man. It’s a divorce case, he’s beaten up his wife, he’s been in jail for battery, he’s done time in prison for attempted murder…”

…okay?

We, as process servers say, okay, now we have to approach this a little differently. The information that you give us, the communication that we have between you as a paralegal and me as a process server is very important because it establishes with the process server what he’s facing, what he has to do, and how he goes about it.

What if we can't get a paper served?

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 04:18:37 GMT

We are not perfect.

Not every single paper we receive is going to get successfully served. Therefore, it is necessary to explore alternate routes when we run into problems.

The infographics below show the procedures we follow for serving residences and businesses when our original attempts are unsuccessful.

It's not a pizza

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 16:21:21 GMT

Who enjoys have documents served on them? My best guess is no one.

This being said, the role of a process server is one that needs to be scrutinized by clients before they assign jobs to be served. Clients must understand that servers are not delivery guys. Servers are not delivering documents that people want to receive. So when the recipients of these documents attempt to avoid service, we are usually not alarmed.

As Bob states, when attorneys draft these documents, they are doing so because they are after either your money (if it’s a summons) or your time (if it’s a subpoena). If someone knows legal documents are on the way, he/she may do whatever it takes to make sure this process is not completed so an appearance in court cannot happen. However, although this may seem effective for some time, eventually, the person will most likely lose the race and will get discovered.

In his op-ed piece, Five Reasons not to Avoid Service of Process!, Dave Krieger advises, “When you don’t understand WHO is coming after you, you won’t know how to establish an “End Game Strategy” to beat down the action being taken against you.”

Doesn’t this make sense? Wouldn’t you want to know who is after you if you don’t already? And if you do, wouldn’t you want this notification so you can figure out a way to come up with a solution?

Krieger goes on to say, “Judges don’t like it when the party being served deliberately says “NO” to process, because it’s their right to know what they’re being accused of doing (or not doing)…No matter what the outcome of service, time is working against you the longer you wait to accept service.”

In these cases when we are unable to serve an individual at his/her house or business address, we run skip traces to seek alternate addresses or execute wait time and surveillance to catch him/her coming or leaving from their current address.

The delivery of legal documents is not always simple; sometimes it requires extra steps and most of all, loads of patience.

Transcript:

One thing that I have found out over the years, in doing this job, is that the people who hire us, sometimes, are unaware of what happens to us in the field, trying to serve a paper. I coined the phrase, I called it, “It’s not a pizza.”

When you’re going up to a door to serve somebody with original process, a summons, which is something that you’re after their money. The person who’s initiated the suit is after their money. That’s the difference between a summons and a subpoena. Summons, you’re after their money. Subpoena, you’re after their time. No big deal.

But when you’re after somebody for their money, they don’t want to see you. They don’t want to know you. They’ll climb out a back window. They’ll run you over with their car. They’ll do all kinds of things to get away from you because they understand what it is.

So, it’s not a pizza. We’re not walking up to the door with something they want, something they would like to have. We’re walking up to the door with something they don’t want and they don’t want to have. So, it’s up to us to be the player, according to the situation.

Deception

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 16:55:14 GMT

We are not stalkers.

Sometimes, people have the misconception that process servers stalk individuals to try and obtain service or go on wild goose chases to create an encounter. It may even be perceived that servers disguise themselves as alternate personas to try and fool the individual being sought.

Although servers do have to sometimes go extra lengths to obtain service, they do not use deception by any means. Locally speaking, the Broward County Sheriff does not allow us to practice this technique.

In the older days, deception was used quite often to get people to come out of their homes. For instance, there was a situation where a process server hired a paint crew to set up shop outside someone’s residence to do some painting. The guy whom service was being attempted on came out and asked the crew what they were doing, and that’s how the documents were able to be delivered to him.

“I’ve had a lot of interesting serves,” Bob says.

Sometimes, when attempting to serve documents, the events that take place can feel surreal, as if they’re being played out in a film onscreen. But the things that happen to process servers on a daily basis are products of real life encounters.

From witnessing individuals completely disrobed to having others blatantly lie to you about their identities when you already have a description of them and know what they look like to having people hide out in their homes for hours on end because they know you’re outside waiting on them to come out of the house, each service has endless enigmatic possibilities.

Bob recalls one service in particular, where he chased a gentleman in his Ferrari around Fort Lauderdale for about 30 minutes. Being the skilled investigator he is, he went back to the man’s house and discovered from the neighbor that the man liked to take his stray dog he found for walks by the Intracoastal. He would do this in the evenings when it was already dark out and no one would be around to see him. He did this without fear of being served.

But he should’ve thought twice.

At the time, Bob had a Dachshund and took the dog along with him on this quest to obtain service. He parked up the street in a vacant lot near where the Intracoastal was. Bob heard the man coming up the street with his dog, so he released his dog, and the two dogs started doing “dog things,” playing around and exploring each other.

So Bob called his dog, and the man called his dog to calm it down. Bob approached the man, apologizing that his dog had gotten loose. He told him he was sorry to bother him and said he was here from New Jersey, visiting his son who lived up the street. The guy introduced himself, telling Bob his name and shaking his hand. Immediately after, Bob pulled the documents out from his back, where he usually likes to hide them, and told the man he was served.

Needless to say, Bob enjoyed this serve.

“To me, that’s not deception,” he says. “That’s just being creative.”

Deception would be identifying yourself as a postman or a pizza delivery man or something of that nature. It’s hard to put a finger on what deception actually is because sometimes you do have to tell a small lie to get past a guard or past a neighbor or something of that nature.

Think about it. In general, all occupations come with their own sets of difficulties, just as life has a way of throwing hurdles at us from time to time. That being said, all services are never going to be cut and dry, especially when they are taking place at residences. Sometimes, servers must think of a tactic that could cause the servee to comply if he/she is avoiding.

We can’t say we are from the Broward Sheriff’s Office, nor can we identify ourselves as deputies or use language that infers we are. Most process servers use the line, “I am a special process server appointed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office.” But if you just walk up to someone and say, “Broward Sheriff’s Office,” that’s considered deception because you are not a deputy nor a police officer nor an employee of the sheriff’s department.

So, although process servers may have to bend the truth just slightly or use a creative approach to obtain service from time to time, deception is never acceptable.

Serving in a Gated Community

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 17:07:31 GMT

Did you know that, by law, those working at the entrances of gated communities must grant process servers entry to the property?

According to Florida Statute 48.081 (7), “ A gated residential community, including a condominium association or a cooperative, shall grant unannounced entry into the community, including its common areas and common elements, to a person who is attempting to serve process on a defendant or witness who resides within or is known to be within the community .”

If the worker on duty refuses to comply, the process server can call the local authorities, and he/she can and will be arrested.

Transcript:

The security officer on duty must let you in. By statute, he has to allow you to get to the front door of the residence that you’re going to. And he has no right to ask you who you’re going to serve because under Florida Statute, I think it’s 841 or 843, it has to do with obstruction. He cannot stop you.

Yes, he has to let you in. If he refuses, then you call the local police. I had this happen to me down in Miami-Dade County at one of those big tall high-rise buildings at the end of South Beach, those multicolored, pink and whatever color they are. The security captain came out and told me I was not going to go up to the residence because the elevator opened up into the residence and that was private property. I said, “I’ll just stand in the elevator.” He said, “No. I’m not allowing you up.” I called the police, Metro Dade came over, I showed them the statute, they read it, they went over to the captain and they said, “You have to let him up.” He said, “I’m not gonna do it.” They flipped him around and put handcuffs on him. They told him, “You have two choices. You’re gonna go to jail for obstruction or you’re gonna take this man up in the elevator and we’ll go with you.” He did. The doors opened up, I stuck my head in.

“Mr. Smith?”

“Yeah, yeah, what do you want?”

“You’ve been served.”

Down the elevator.

I’m not sure exactly. It’s an obstruction statute.

They’re not allowed (to call the people to tell them you’re coming). You don’t even have to tell them where you’re going. It’s part of the statute. In Broward County, we all carry around a letter from the sheriff that encourages the security guard to cooperate with us and gives them the consequences.

It's a constitutional right (to be notified)

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 17:19:50 GMT

We don’t serve papers for fun, and being threatened is less than enjoyable.

If someone is being sued, he/she has a right to know. What recipients of service of process fail to sometimes understand is that process servers are in no way, shape, or form involved in the said case. Process servers only have one job, and that is to serve documents.

According to dictionary.law.com, an “officer of the court” is any person who has an obligation to promote justice and effective operation of the judicial system, including judges, the attorneys who appear in court , bailiffs, clerks and other personnel. Servers are officers of the court. Sometimes, servers must actually appear in court to defend their services. Therefore, it is our right to do our job as effectively as possible.

However, we cannot control how those on the receiving end of these documents will react to service. We must always be prepared for anything.

Transcript:

It’s a constitutional right for someone to be notified that they are being sued. It’s a constitutional right.

When we confront someone, when we’re serving them with original process, and they become belligerent, you know, they want to spit on us, they want to throw things at us, they want to kick us, they want to curse us, they want to tell us what part of the human body we were born out of…these kind of things you encounter.

But I always train my guys to respond in a very positive way and say, “Listen, we’re protecting your constitutional right to be notified. We are the messenger. We are not the instigator of the lawsuit against you. I’m sorry you’re being sued, but, that’s the way it is.” Sometimes, we get a good response, and sometimes, it gets nasty.

Are your medical records safe?

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 17:23:06 GMT

Our medical records are confidential pieces of information that we do not disseminate for everyone to examine and gaze upon. These files are for our personal knowledge and use and for our doctors and specialists to look over in order to diagnose and treat us.

Sometimes, these records are requested in the courtroom to serve as evidence when presenting a case.

Along with these records, our social security numbers and dates of birth are access keys to everything, from medical records to bank accounts, and they are holy grails for those on the road to performing identity theft. If we do not keep these bits of information under wraps, all hell can break loose.

This being said, how do we know whether doctors and hospitals are keeping our records safe from unauthorized parties? Is it possible for others besides ourselves and those we authorize to obtain our personal information? Is it possible that our dates of birth and social security numbers may be passed along to just anyone?

The Florida Bar passed rules of civil procedure for service of process that allow law firms to mail their subpoenas for production of non-parties (i.e., medical records subpoenas). These subpoenas request information from a patient’s records and provide the patient’s date of birth and/or social security number. These documents are sent to mailrooms at hospitals and/or doctor’s offices. However, there is no guarantee that this is done in a legit fashion.

Being part of a service of process company, we do not understand how this is lawful. For starters, this is not done according to the Florida Statutes, nor has it been passed into law through Congress.

On a daily basis, we process tons of subpoenas for medical records, easily a couple hundred of these papers every week, as they are always being requested by our clients. So this is a basic gauge as to how much patient information is floating around our office, which, at least, is better than floating around in mailing envelopes all over town. In an effort to maintain patient privacy, we sift through each of these subpoenas and redact every single social security number and date of birth present before scanning them into our internal system.

Certified Civil Process Server Program – Informational Manual by Walter D. Cordle, Jr., Process Server Program Coordinator, is a booklet given to process servers for Miami-Dade County. In it, it states, “Process must be correctly ‘served’ – delivered to the person named in process – in order for the court to acquire jurisdiction, or power, over that person or property. If process is not served correctly, the court may not legally consider the matter and any decision rendered by that court is subject to being voided.” (p. 1)

When the federal HIPAA law was originally written, it was done so with the intention that all subpoenas would be served according to federal and state laws, meaning they would be personally served to doctor’s offices and hospitals. The idea of these documents being mailed to these medical offices was out of the question.

This monster of an issue was created by attorneys of the Florida Bar in an effort to possibly cut costs in their cases, but by taking this route, they are placing individuals’ information in jeopardy. If something were to happen as a result of these subpoenas being mailed, the attorneys and law firms would not be the ones in boiling water – the hospitals and doctor’s offices would be the ones subject to heavy fines imposed by Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. These fines can range from $10,000 to millions of dollars.

So next time you’re at the doctor’s office or in the hospital, be sure to mention you are not willing to have your information released unless it is served by means of a proper subpoena that is served by a process server. You’ll probably surprise the medical staff with this request, but this can save you loads of heartache and headache.

How to Carry Out Service of Process

info@mywebsy.com (Garcia) — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 18:03:13 GMT

The following is an infographic that outlines a general step-by-step process of how we handle service requests at Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc.:

"I wanna be a spy...like you."

Sun, 12 Nov 2017 17:52:04 GMT

As soon as you enter the room, you’re welcomed with colors. They’re everywhere. They’re on the walls, on the floor, at the desks. In front of each computer is a pumpkin decorated with paper mache, each with its own theme. One was Wonder Woman. One was a cat. One was a pig.

On the floor is a large carpeted mat with illustrations of owls sitting on branches with numbered leaves. This mat serves as the congregation area for the girls; it’s where all the action happens.

Some girls wear a greenish blue loose-fitted vest over their collared polo uniform shirts, which are white, navy blue, or red. These vests are accessorized with different patches with images and words. These patches decorate the fronts and backs of these vests. These patches symbolize accomplishments. These vests symbolize their identities. These girls are Girl Scouts.

Today’s meeting represents a milestone—the girls are earning their “Junior Detective” badges. The session opens with everyone reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The girls and their leaders are all holding up three fingers together. They seem to do this often. It’s their unique form of sign language.

After everyone finishes saying the Pledge, they all sit in a half circle at the perimeter of the floor mat. Their either sit with their legs crossed in Indian style, or they have their knees bent and are sitting on the backs of their feet. They are all quiet and are eager and ready to learn. Their attention is now fixed to the front of the classroom.

One of the leaders introduces Bob, and he begins to speak.

Bob is well over six feet tall. But he sits on one of the student chairs, which is clearly too small for his stature, smiling and ready to engage with the girls. He sits at the front of the classroom, in front of the white board, and Nancy sits a few feet to his right, both of them facing the girls.

Bob begins his presentation, telling the girls that he has been a private investigator for 28 years and worked for the Central Intelligence

Agency prior to that. A girl raises her hand.

“You guys are like spies?”

“Yes,” Bob says. “Those are like spies. You watch a lot of TV,” he laughs.

He then introduces Nancy and explains how he met her and how they used to live in Africa.

This introduction is followed by Bob asking each of the girls their names and what they want to be when they grow up.

The first girl replies, “When I grow up, I wanna be a spy, like you.”

The next girl says, “I don’t know what I wanna be.”

The following girl wants to be a vet. The next girl wants to be an author.

An outspoken girl exclaims, “When I grow up, I wanna be a chemist. On the weekends, I wanna be a professional mermaid…because I like swimming.”

The next girl wants to be a botanist. The last girl wants to be a chef.

Each girl possesses her own personality. But one thing they all have in common is a high level of intelligence and ambition. They are not bashful, nor are they hesitant to say what’s on their minds.

After this sharing session, Bob explains that as he is talking, he is going to periodically be picking up a few items, one at a time, and holding them in his hands throughout his presentation. He wants the girls to pay attention to these items, as this will exercise their powers of observation.

“All detectives in the history of the world, they all had something in common,” Bob states. “They all had very good powers of observation.

They had feelings about things, and they could determine, by looking in a room, if something didn’t look right.”

He continues to speak about how detectives were able to observe people and talk to people and look in their eyes, determining whether they were telling the truth. He also describes other methods of communication, such as using codes to send messages. Codes were used so people could converse without others knowing what they were talking about.

“We’re gonna use invisible ink today,” Bob tells the girls.

They look at one another in awe. The girl who wants to be a spy, like Bob, her jaw drops in astonishment.

Bob tells them how George Washington was the first president to have a network of spies, and these spies would pass messages around.

President Washington also used invisible ink.

Morse Code, a series of dots and dashes, has been used around the world for at least a hundred, if not two hundred, years. Once electricity was developed, a signal could be sent through a line and eventually through the air. Bob says he used to use this form of communication when he was overseas.

This conversation prompts the first activity the girls engage in, which requires them to write their names using Morse Code. This takes a few minutes, as they look at a reference sheet to complete the assignment.

When they’re done, Bob goes on to describe that people in the military and others who wanted to communicate back and forth used

Morse Code. Even today, Navy ships at sea, when they lose power and communication, send Morse Code by light.

To provide some level of clarification, Bob lets the girls know that spies and detectives are two different persons.

“A spy is a spy,” he says.

A spy does his job without trying to be found out. A detective can come in and look at a scene and tell what went on. He says not to confuse the two, but both the worlds of the spy and of the detective do intersect.

Bob explains that handwriting is a telling tool that can provide the characteristics of a person, and he also speaks about DNA, and how it is used to find evidence, such as blood at a scene.

The next activity requires the girls to use a book to come up with a code to send a secret message to one another. They all use the same book, and the code is generated by writing down the page number, the line number, and the number word over from the left the word is.

This is done for each word in the message. This activity takes a little bit longer for them to complete, as it takes a while to exercise their creativity.

Bob cracks their codes, and then it’s time for snacks.

Cheez-It crackers and cookies are on the menu. One of the leaders holds up three fingers, and this indicates that it’s time for the girls to quiet up and divert their attention to her. This intermission session serves as a time to discuss a serious matter—their dues.

In order to delegate some responsibility among the group, the leader suggests a treasurer is needed to take over the duty of organizing and collecting dues. Therefore, the girls had to volunteer themselves for this position. However, two girls wanted to be treasurer. So something had to be done.

“But we don’t know their math abilities,” one girl says.

They discuss among one another and conclude that each of the two girls should have a chance at being treasurer by having their positions carried out in terms. Clever.

After this brief intermission, the girls are presented with one last activity. They are told to write down all the items Bob picked up throughout his presentation, to see if they remembered to use their powers of observation. However, they are given invisible pens to complete this task.

They are all beguiled.

“You can take them home,” Nancy says. Their faces light up.

Age means nothing. Once there is something that piques an interest in someone, there is no stopping that person in exploring it further.

In this case, these girls wanted to earn their Junior Detective badges, so everything they learned and all the activities they completed excited them.

It didn’t matter that they are in elementary school and Bob is decades older than them. The communication between them and Bob was both effective and beneficial, and both parties were able to learn from each other.

At the end of the meeting, they all stood in a circle, Bob and Nancy included, and held hands. This is their friendship circle, which happens at the closing of meetings. Although Bob and Nancy are not Girl Scouts, they were welcomed to join.

Unity. Respect. Dedication. Young or old, these traits can be possessed by anyone. As long as one has the desire to learn, the opportunities to gain knowledge are endless.