Thread: Process Server

Hey all -

So, I just got a position as a Process Server in a predominantly rural area along the I5 corridor. Anybody have any experience in the field, care to offer some advice/cautionary tales?

be careful, most people wont be happy to see you. best of luck

Originally Posted by RangerEric

Hey all -

So, I just got a position as a Process Server in a predominantly rural area along the I5 corridor. Anybody have any experience in the field, care to offer some advice/cautionary tales?

Good luck. You are going to need it.

Stay in school. ;4)/

Find a comfortable vest and wear it. You'll probably run across some very angry people.

You will be serving civil cases. The Sheriff's dept. serves criminal. In fact, in any civil matter, the person needing your services can choose the company which serves, or can choose the Sheriff's dept. to do it.

Most processes are prepared by an attorney or signed by a judge or both. That would for instance be a restraining order which is civil, not criminal. Most people who file for a restraining order and have a judge sign it are smart enough to have the Sheriff's dept. serve it. For one thing, they have to take a CHL from the person being served if the person has one, and they know before they get there that the person has it. That's not a job for you.

If your boss thinks the service will be dangerous or over the company's head, he should refuse the job and refer it to the Sheriff's office.

I have posted here several times that about 1 1/2 years ago I was served with 3, get it 3 of them, close together but different. I hasten to add that I beat every one of them in court and filed lawsuits against the perps and some local officials, but I digress. My record is clean and I got my CHL back after my attorney scared the powers that be.

That's how I know they take your CHL at the time of service, LOL.

So, you should be serving notices of suits filed for non payment of debt, notice of foreclosure proceedings, notices of child support and custody hearings, notices of lawsuits filed or answered, and so on.

Most of the people will be mad at the other party and you may hear some rants, but they won't likely be blaming you. I was incredibly polite when I was served. My problem wasn't with the deputies who were just doing their job, and I wanted them to maintain a high opinion of me.

Some people may get angry and throw the papers down and cuss and stomp around some, but it's not likely aimed at you. I can't recall a process server being attacked or hurt and I think it would be in the news if it had happened.

I had such a good time making the last process servers' crazy,
I figure it cost the neighbor much extra money before she finally found a server smart enough to get me
Have Fun, I sure did!

In Oregon, you can substitute process to anyone who lives in the house who's at least 14 years old. Then you have to follow up by sending it by regular mail to the target person. You could instead send it by registered mail. If you can't find the person, you can publish it in the paper.

I don't think you have that much to worry about. A repo man with a tow truck, yes. A process server, no. You will probably have to take a lot of verbal abuse but that comes with the job, no big deal. Anti-stab body armor and a Kimber pepper spray should do it LOL!

Originally Posted by Noisycow

I don't think you have that much to worry about. A repo man with a tow truck, yes. A process server, no. You will probably have to take a lot of verbal abuse but that comes with the job, no big deal. Anti-stab body armor and a Kimber pepper spray should do it LOL!

I'd go with the AR-15, bear spray, anti-stab armor and a taser.

It seemed like a pretty cool job in Pineapple Express.

Originally Posted by billdeserthills

I had such a good time making the last process servers' crazy,
I figure it cost the neighbor much extra money before she finally found a server smart enough to get me
Have Fun, I sure did!

tell us this story..I have a need to know.

Hey guys, thanks for all the input, constructive and humorous alike. :-)

So a couple people make mention of vests, not to sound like Gecko45 here, but do most process servers wear vests?? Is that prudent?? I hadn't really thought about it or planned on it, and now I'm not sure if that's legitimate advice or people just being funny. :-) Will definitely be carrying, and was planning to pick up a Kimber Pepper Blaster as well, cause you never know....

First day is tomorrow, wish me luck guys.

Originally Posted by pokerace

tell us this story..I have a need to know.

My last dike (lesbian on top) neighbor got rude with me one day & demanded a copy of our well agreement with extra uneeded four letter words, I refused to hand it over telling her to get a copy from one of our other 3 neighbors. She started calling the police on me every weekend for 3 weeks & I finally requested an order for harrassment against her BS. Of course then she just had to get me served in order to get the judge to deny my request to have her stop harrassing me via the local police. I had a merry time dodging her process servers & it was the most fun I have ever had at the low cost of zero dollars. The ending of the whole affair found me out $1,500 to my own lawyer a month later, but by then the old dike had moved -- she was unable to re-finance without the well agreement, too bad, had I known that she was merely an anti-social man hating bubblegum I would have... Nah, had I known I would have just had more fun with it

Originally Posted by RangerEric

Hey guys, thanks for all the input, constructive and humorous alike. :-)

So a couple people make mention of vests, not to sound like Gecko45 here, but do most process servers wear vests?? Is that prudent?? I hadn't really thought about it or planned on it, and now I'm not sure if that's legitimate advice or people just being funny. :-) Will definitely be carrying, and was planning to pick up a Kimber Pepper Blaster as well, cause you never know....

First day is tomorrow, wish me luck guys.

I don't think you'll get shot at. Possibly punched in the mouth, but I doubt anything more severe than that.

I did this job for about 3 years in college in rural SW Oregon. My best day I served 55 papers, but averaged about 100/wk x 150 weeks = 15k papers served (estimated). I got guns pointed at me 2x and 1x just brandished. I got assaulted 2x, once bad. Spit on a hand full of times. I have some great stories.

The really bad fight I did have was about 3 minutes on the ground with a total PSYCHO. I got hit in the head with a rock and a quart size jar of paint that opened up. I put the guys head into the fender of the company car and dented it, opening him up. Paint all over the car too. He tried to bite through my face while we we on the ground and got a deep eye gouge for his trouble... I thought his teeth were going to go all the way through my cheek and into my mouth. That is when he clocked me with the rock. We were both covered in blood and paint, I thought I was going to pass out and I felt him clock back with the rock again....a little voice told me I had better get back in this fight or it was going to be over....really over like I was going to be killed by a psycho with a freaking rock. I don't know if it was time compression or if I was reeling from the head wound but it seemed like slow motion. I managed to block the next rock attack, trap his rock arm...managing to escape scissoring out and giving some some focused blows to his head/face. In the end I probably threw about 25-30 blows, maybe 10 felt like they were solid connections.... and took a bunch. My Browning HP was in the car (open carry - I was 20) as was my OC. In the end he went to jail , I got a compensatory fine leveled against him and SAIF paid my medical bills for staples in my head at the ER. It was a great learning experience for me....never give up... dont turn your back....people will try to KILL you over nothing.... disengage as soon as possible and go to a weapons system...HAVE a weapons system handy (handier than the car)

Get a GPS enabled phone and have someone monitor you.

OC/Pepper - Yes. I sprayed a LOT of Cujo hounds from hell and 2 people.

Vest? Sure.

Dash cam would be even better, helps your version if an assault occurs because he WILL have a different story.

Biggest thing:

Be the delivery boy not the agent of the man. Good communication skills and being able to de-escalate conflict. Better to avoid.... ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and if you have to make police reports and go to court you are not out serving papers and making $.

NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THEM. The worst problems I had, happened when I was walking away.

Enjoy your new job

WOw the person that stated above when you get served ya lose CHL- I'll be going back and adding to ignore as this belongs in the dumb things heard on the internet thread.

Serving papers- yes some people may be upset at the situation; be POLITE and CORDIAL. You're simply doing a job and explain this. Any truly "dangerous" situation you'll most likely be able to spot up front and decide accordingly. If unsure of a home situation serving at work is always a plus! A vest is good insurance but wouldn't consider it necessary. Until you're doing repo work you really should have 0 problems.

Basically a big +1 to Deavis post, and yes on spray for animals!

Originally Posted by iamme

WOw the person that stated above when you get served ya lose CHL- I'll be going back and adding to ignore as this belongs in the dumb things heard on the internet thread.

Serving papers- yes some people may be upset at the situation; be POLITE and CORDIAL. You're simply doing a job and explain this. Any truly "dangerous" situation you'll most likely be able to spot up front and decide accordingly. If unsure of a home situation serving at work is always a plus! A vest is good insurance but wouldn't consider it necessary. Until you're doing repo work you really should have 0 problems.

If you are served with a request for a restraining order they will take your CHL on the spot, and tell you to get rid of your guns. If you win in court and the restraining order is moot, you can go get your guns back and re-apply for your CHL. If you don't believe me, call your sheriff's office.

Originally Posted by Gunner3456

If you are served with a request for a restraining order they will take your CHL on the spot, and tell you to get rid of your guns. If you win in court and the restraining order is moot, you can go get your guns back and re-apply for your CHL. If you don't believe me, call your sheriff's office.

A restraining order yes, anytime your served no. Before you go spewing bad information you may want to make your posts clear. And i'll see your pic and raise you one: