What Types of Papers are Served by Process Servers?

Published October 15, 2021 | By Accurate Serve Pensacola

The main role of process servers is to make sure all parties relevant to a case are notified of the request for their appearance in court with ample time to prepare. For defendants, this means time to prepare a defense. For witnesses and other case parties, time to develop a cohesive testimony is crucial.

Process servers provide notification of upcoming hearings and other court dates by serving process, or court case documents, to all involved case parties. The process can include a variety of documents depending on the nature of the court case. The most common types of process served by process servers are complaints, summons, subpoenas, and writs.

Summons

A summons notifies a defendant(s) of the date, time, and location of their upcoming requested court appearance. The appearance is mandatory, but the defendant may request that the date be rescheduled. This is normally done through an attorney.

Complaints

A complaint details the accusations against the defendant(s) and outlines what the plaintiff feels they are owed. On a complaint document, you will find the names and addresses of all parties involved in the court proceedings, including defendants, witnesses, subject matter experts, and others. The complaint is served by a process server in person to the defendant(s), along with a summons to court.

Subpoenas

A subpoena is a court order mandating a specific person other than a defendant to appear in court on a requested date to provide evidence or testimony on a certain matter. Witnesses and other subject matter experts are commonly served with subpoenas. Not appearing in court when directed to by a subpoena can land you in serious legal trouble.

Writs

A writ is simply an order by a court. Writs are issued for many court cases and situations; a summons is actually a type of writ. Some other types of writs you may encounter are:

Writ of habeas corpus
Writ of mandamus
Writ of possession
Writs of execution
Writ of attachment
Warrants for the arrest of a person or persons (always served by law enforcement officers in Florida)

No matter what types of documents you need to be served for your firm’s cases, the experts here at Accurate Serve® in Pensacola have the experience and dedication you need to get your case’s process served quickly and competently. With prompt process service from certified and professional servers, your cases will stay on schedule and on budget. If you need a process server in Pensacola, Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, Milton, or even Mobile, send us a work requests on our website. Need process service outside of the Florida panhandle? Visit theaccurateservefranchise.com for a map and contact information for our offices nationwide!