Serving legal papers is a critical part of the legal process, ensuring that everyone involved in a case is properly notified. However, what happens when the person you need to serve is intentionally hiding or difficult to locate? Serving papers to someone who is deliberately evading service is a challenge that many legal professionals, businesses, and individuals face.
In this blog, we’ll explore proven strategies for serving legal documents to someone you can’t find, including methods like skip tracing, alternative service options, and working with professionals to ensure compliance.
Why Is Serving Someone So Hard?
Before we dive into strategies for serving papers to someone who is hiding, it’s important to understand why this process can be difficult. There are a few common reasons why people try to avoid service:
- Intentional Evasion: The individual may actively avoid service to delay legal proceedings or prevent the case from proceeding.
- Frequent Relocation: Some people move frequently without updating their address with relevant authorities.
- Unknown Address: If the person has no permanent address or uses a post office box, locating them becomes far more challenging.
When these factors occur, traditional methods of serving papers—such as delivering documents in person to a known address—may not work. That’s when alternative strategies become necessary.
So, How Do You Serve Someone With Papers That Is Hiding?
When someone is intentionally hiding or difficult to locate, you need to explore more creative and effective methods for service. Below are several approaches to consider:
1. Skip Tracing: The Art of Finding the Unfindable
Skip tracing is one of the most reliable techniques for locating someone evading service. Skip tracing involves using a combination of public and private data sources to track down an individual’s current whereabouts. While debt collectors, private investigators, and law enforcement often use it, it’s also a valuable tool in the legal world.
How Skip Tracing Works: Skip tracers use a variety of methods to find hidden individuals, including:
- Public Records: These can include voter registration, property ownership, court records, and more.
- Social Media and Online Activity: People’s online presence, such as check-ins or posts from specific locations, can offer clues about their location.
- Utility and Phone Records: With proper authorization, skip tracers may access phone and utility records to find where the individual lives or works.
Skip tracing can be particularly helpful if you have minimal information but know a few key details about the person, such as their previous addresses, family members, or even vehicle information.
Pro Tip: Skip tracing doesn’t guarantee an immediate result, but it dramatically increases your chances of finding the individual. It is one of the most effective methods available when someone is trying to hide.
2. Process Servers: Leveraging Professional Help for Successful Service
In many cases, hiring a professional process server is the best approach for serving someone who is hiding. These professionals specialize in locating hard-to-find individuals and ensuring that service is completed according to legal requirements. They often use their expertise in skip tracing, surveillance, and investigative techniques to track down individuals and serve them with legal papers.
Here’s why working with a professional process server can help:
- Expertise in Evasion Tactics: Professional servers know how to handle evasive tactics and are familiar with strategies to avoid unnecessary delays.
- Legal Compliance: Process servers are trained in the legal requirements for service, ensuring that all the necessary documentation and protocols are followed.
- Tracking Tools: Many process servers utilize GPS tracking and real-time updates to monitor the service process and ensure timely and accurate delivery.
Hiring a professional process server like Freestate Investigations ensures that all the technicalities of serving someone are handled. With their experience, you’re more likely to succeed in serving someone who doesn’t want to be found.
3. Alternative Service Methods
If traditional methods fail, alternative service options can be used. These methods are especially helpful when the person is actively evading service, or you cannot find them despite your best efforts.
Here are a few alternative service options to consider:
Service by Publication
In cases where you cannot find the person after multiple attempts, you may be allowed to serve them via publication. This means publishing a notice in a local newspaper or other public outlet where the person will likely see it. The notice usually includes the name of the person being served and information about the legal action. This is most commonly used in divorce or civil cases.
How Service by Publication Works:
- You must file a motion with the court to request approval for service by publication.
- The court will determine if this is an appropriate method, often based on whether the person is intentionally evading service or cannot be located.
While service by publication is sometimes effective, it’s often a last resort.
Service by Posting
This is another alternative method, where the legal papers are posted in a visible location, such as at the person’s last known address. This method is often used when the individual’s address is known but they are not physically present to accept the service. The papers are usually attached to a door or another prominent location.
How Service by Posting Works:
- A court must approve this method.
- A notice is posted at the individual’s last known address, and you must file proof that the papers were posted.
Service by posting doesn’t guarantee that the person will see the papers, but it serves as a backup option when traditional methods fail.
4. Surveillance and Skip Tracing Techniques
In some situations, surveillance techniques might be necessary to catch a person returning home or to a specific location. Combining skip tracing with surveillance is an effective way to locate someone actively trying to avoid service.
Private investigators or professional process servers often use surveillance to monitor suspects, keeping an eye on locations they frequent, like work, family homes, or places they visit regularly. This approach can increase the chances of serving the individual, especially when combined with skip-tracing techniques.
5. Using Online Tools to Your Advantage
The internet has opened up many avenues for finding people who are hiding. Social media platforms, public records databases, and even people search tools can be invaluable resources when tracking down an individual. Services like PeopleFinder, Spokeo, and BeenVerified can provide helpful insights into someone’s location or activity.
Pro Tip: When using online tools, ensure the search complies with the laws in your jurisdiction. Some methods of tracking or data collection may violate privacy rights.
Conclusion: How Do You Serve Someone With Papers That Is Hiding?
Serving papers to someone hiding can feel like an impossible task, but with the right strategies, you can increase your chances of success. Methods like skipping tracing, hiring professional process servers, and using alternative service techniques like publication or posting are just a few options available to you.
When facing a difficult situation, it’s crucial to leverage the expertise of professionals who understand the complexities of serving evasive individuals. Freestate Investigations offers comprehensive process-serving services that include skip tracing, surveillance, and legal know-how to ensure that your papers are served promptly and according to legal requirements.
With the right approach, you can overcome the challenges of serving someone who is hiding and ensure that the legal process continues without unnecessary delays.
The future trends of paper serving will always depend on service delivery, ensure compliance, and satisfy clients.
Freestate Investigations will help you to serve papers to evasive individuals! Contact us at (888) 462-2714 or info@freestateinvestigations.com for expert help!