Still using the sheriff? Here’s 4 reasons why you should be investing in a private process server instead.
1.You need your updates on time.
If you’ve ever tried to contact the sheriff’s office to get an update on a service, you know what a frustrating experience it can be. Calling and waiting three days to receive a call back doesn’t help keep your case moving.
Using a private process server means you’re dealing with a business, which means quickly returned calls and timely updates. At DGR you can log in to check your updates and you’ll see service status and updates, which means no more having to call five times to get a status update.
2. Not only do you need updates quickly, you need the service completed quickly.
Sheriffs have a lot of other responsibilities and process service often falls at the bottom of their list. Where a private process server usually makes an attempt within two days of receiving your service, a sheriff can sometimes take up to three weeks for one attempt.
3. Using the sheriff can mean a lot more non-serves.
Given the hours sheriffs typically work, most attempts are made between the hours of 9am-5pm on weekdays. With many individuals at work during those hours, this can result in a high percentage of non-serves. Private process servers go at all hours to effectuate service, generally anywhere between 7am and 9pm, 7 days a week. This ensures that attempts are made at times when the individual is likely to be home.
There’s another big bonus to using private process servers: if you know where the subject will be at a given time, you can ask the server to attempt service then. You can ask the sheriff to serve the individual at 3:30pm, but if they get a call to do something more pressing then you’re back to the bottom of the list.
4. You have a lot of other important things to be focusing on.
As a legal professional, whether an attorney or paralegal, the list of items you have to complete is a mile long. Following up on services and staying on top of the individual serving them shouldn’t be one of them. Most private process servers take a proactive approach, notifying you when service is or isn’t completed or if there are any issues. For example, if after speaking to the neighbors it is clear the subject no longer resides at the address associated with the service, private process servers will then usually question if the client would like to try a due diligence search to locate a new address.
If you’re still using the sheriff, it may be time to try a private process server for quicker, more responsive service.
