Working as a process server can be an interesting experience. Your job is processing paperwork for the courts and physically delivering court documents or subpoenas, but some people are more likely to accept papers than others, which can complicate your job. Here are three ways to track down customers as a process server.
1. Talk With Their Family
Since many people may not want the paperwork you have to deliver, they may try to evade you whenever you visit their home. If it's hard to get them to answer the door, try to find out where their family lives, and drop by to ask a few questions. Be kind and unassuming, and mention that you have a few papers you need to deliver to their relative. If possible, try to get a new address, phone number, or information about where they are staying so you can deliver paperwork quickly.
2. Visit Their Job
While people can avoid answering the door at home, it's much harder to ignore customers when they are on the job. If the person you are trying to reach works, visit them at their job and ask for them by name. Chances are they will come out of their office or the backroom assuming you are a customer, and you can give them the papers you need to deliver. Whenever you deliver papers in a place of employment, be respectful of your surroundings and work as inconspicuously as possible.
3. Do A Mini Stake-Out
If you can't find any known relatives and you have no idea where the individual work, think about doing a mini stake-out. Using the information you were given to process the papers, try to find any place you know they frequent, and do a little stake-out if you have time. Watch for them and issue the papers when you spot them. Be sure that the person you serve papers to is the proper person, and remember, you can always submit a sub-processing request to the court to have their legal documents mailed to them instead.
If you aren't currently working as a process server but like the idea of becoming one, check out the state mandates where you live to find out where to receive the right training. You won't need a 4-year college degree to be a process server, but you do need a high school diploma or a GED. If the idea of traveling around your local area every day and meeting new people sounds fun to you, consider it as a career.
