This article only applies in the United States. In California and many other states for that fact, the court may allow you to serve the evading party by another means, something other than what is typical for a given service document. Then your case hits the legal section of the paper and after a few weeks your are served. Drop service is not permitted in every state. Even if you never got served court papers because of your physical absence when the assigned process server was present, they can serve you in other ways that would count as valid, such as: Process servers have legal permission to use certified mail channels to send your court papers. There are a number of reasons why a person may avoid accepting service. It is the official process of notifying an individual that legal action has been taken against them. Professional process servers typically change between $20 and $100. When someone refuses to open the door of their home to be served, there are several ways to deliver process. When a person files a peace order they are known as the petitioner, and whom you are filing against are known as the respondent. This means someone who is not a party in the case, not interested in the outcome of the case, and who is at least 18 years old. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. Make sure that all members of your household watch their surroundings. The Circuit Clerk will need to issue a Summons for service on the opposing party. Quick Links:Contact or Visit the Self-Help Center, Efiling Site | Efiling Assistance | E-Filing Guide, Family Law Self-Help Center - How to Serve the Custody/Paternity Papers, Looking for something in particular? Some people try very hard to avoid being served, and it can take the courts a while to track these people down. Jerrad Ahrens licensed in NE and IA only. If you need child support process service, contact us today. One of the papers you were served is the Petition. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. That said, its rarely advantageous for the defendant to try. Professional process servers are familiar with the procedures involved in the serving process, as well as the laws surrounding what you can and cant do when youre serving legal papers in California. Its possible to track people down using non-traditional methods such as social media or contacting friends and family of the named defendant. Some judges require a licensed, professional process server to serve the documents. If you are having trouble finding someone, get in touch with an experienced professional process server who knows how to handle alternative and even non-traditional methods of process service. You typically have nothing to worry about when you avoid their deliveries. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. The right course of action after being served with custody papers is to take a moment (or two) to collect your thoughts, and then seek an attorney who handles child custody cases. Anywheretheir house, workplace, etc.could be adequate. Offenders will often be in an emotionally charged state if they have been accused of having done something wrong, conducting a misdemeanor, or if they are about to lose something they care about. Find top Grand Ledge, MI Child Custody attorneys near you. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ee\/Reach-the-Masses-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Reach-the-Masses-Step-9.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ee\/Reach-the-Masses-Step-9.jpg\/aid4750728-v4-728px-Reach-the-Masses-Step-9.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"