Maximizing the likelihood of success when serving process can seem like a daunting task. At One Legal, we understand that the stakes are high, and every service plays a crucial role in the timeline and success of legal proceedings.
To help demystify the process and enhance your success rates, we’ve compiled strategic tips and best practices drawn directly from our extensive experience and technological innovations.
Here’s how you can ensure a more successful service of process with our guidance:
Leverage the File-Serve-File bundle for a seamless process
Our File-Serve-File bundle offers a swift and effective service. This option ensures that your documents are filed with the court, immediately prepped for service once court-stamped, and that the proof of service is filed immediately after service completion.
It reduces manual handling of documents and speeds up the timeline from court filing to service, providing a seamless and efficient process that minimizes potential delays. You can start your case with a single order, knowing that all steps—filing, service, and a filed affidavit—will be handled on your behalf.
Ensure address accuracy with One Legal’s Locator tool
Accurate information is the foundation of successful process service. To support this need, One Legal offers an advanced Person Locator tool, an instant online skip tracing service that helps verify and locate the correct addresses for the individuals involved.
This tool instantly combs through thousands of public records and other data points to provide immediate feedback on the target’s current address based on their name, age, state, or last known address. It is invaluable for ensuring the accuracy and currency of the information you are working with, significantly boosting your chances of a successful serve.
Optimize your approach with special service levels
For especially difficult situations, like when dealing with hard-to-reach targets or when precise timing is essential, using our Stakeout or Special service level can be highly beneficial. These options involve more thorough efforts and strategic planning to guarantee that your documents reach the correct recipient under the appropriate circumstances.
These service options ensure that the service is tailored to the client’s specific needs, as our legal team will work in partnership with the client to clarify the request and to find a server that is available and best placed to fulfill it.
Communicate effectively: Detail and real-time updates
Effective communication is crucial. You can use the order detail page to have a two-way conversation with our team. You can send additional documents, photos, and instructions and ask questions. This detailed and real-time communication ensures that servers are well-prepared and keeps you informed at every step. It’s like having a direct line to the server, increasing the success chances of successful service.
Keep your One Legal account up-to-date
Your One Legal account details are critically important and serve as a primary interface with us. Affidavits are auto-populated with information from your account, including attorney details and law firm information. Keeping this information accurate and up-to-date is essential to ensure that all legal documents and affidavits are correctly filled out and that service processes run smoothly without any administrative hitches.
Bonus tip: Engage proactively with our team
Remember to consider the importance of human interaction alongside technology and tools. Our team is here to support you at every step. Engaging with us, asking questions, and providing feedback helps us clarify uncertainties and improve our services to better meet your needs.
Conclusion
Incorporating these practices into your routine can save time and increase the likelihood of successful service. This ensures that your process serving tasks are handled as efficiently and effectively as possible.
These tips are designed to improve your experience and success rates, providing peace of mind by knowing you have a reliable and expert team supporting your legal efforts.
At One Legal, we are dedicated to transforming the landscape of legal services, ensuring that every serve is a step towards successful legal resolution. We encourage you to integrate these strategies into your workflow and witness the difference they make in your legal proceedings.
If you’re interested in learning more, I highly recommend watching our webinar series, Behind the Serves. You can register for free and watch on-demand to learn about everything from pricing transparency and serving internationally to accountability and how we monitor the performance of process servers.
