What is Service of Process?

Service of process is the act of notifying the other parties in your case that you are taking actions against them and the necessary steps they must take in order to respond. First, you must file and the deputy clerk must issue a summons, which you will copy to give to the party to be served along with a copy of the complaint. Then, a person who does not have interest in the case (typically a process server or the sheriff) will give a copy of the complaint and summons to the party to be served at their home or work. If the party to the lawsuit cannot be reached, the process server can leave the forms at the party’s house with a family member over the age of 18, or at work, with a manager, bookkeeper, or secretary.