What is a Process Server?

Last week, I wrote about a foreclosure case that I saw in the news—a family was thoroughly demoralized and embarrassed after a process server stood outsides of their home screaming that there were going into foreclosure.

It occurred to me that many of you who have been fortunate enough not to have to go through the foreclosure process or other legal procedures might not know what a process server is. A process server is a person who has been given the task of making a personal delivery of legal papers. They do not only act in foreclosure cases, but in other legal proceeding, such as divorces.

Their job is to make sure the party in question receives the papers they need to get, but their work does not include harassing homeowners or anyone else. Yes, it is better if they can get the papers delivered sooner rather than later, so many of them need to be persistent. However, as I have already indicated, this does not give them license to be rude or uncivil.