At Accurate Serve® of Detroit, a leading process service agency in Detroit, Michigan, we understand the importance of adhering to legal guidelines and regulations while carrying out our duties. One common question that often arises is, “What hours are process servers allowed to serve?” In this post, we will specifically address the regulations surrounding process serving in Michigan and shed light on the permitted hours for process servers.

Process Serving Hours in Michigan

Unlike some states that impose strict time restrictions on process serving, Michigan offers process servers a greater degree of flexibility. Process servers in Michigan are generally allowed to serve process at any time, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. This means that if you are a resident of Michigan, you should be prepared to receive legal documents at any hour of the day or night. Continue reading →

Accurate Serve® has been serving legal papers in Motor City since 2020. We’ve come a long way since our 2009 beginnings in Florida, now with offices in 6 states! Our services out of the Detroit office include process service, document retrievals, skip tracing and diligent searches, and we work all over the entire state of Michigan. In this post, we’ll be discussing the types of papers that process servers are typically responsible for serving.

Summons and Complaints

Summons and complaints are the most common papers that process servers are tasked with serving. A summons is an official court document that informs the defendant that they are being sued and that they need to respond to the lawsuit. The complaint, on the other hand, is a legal document that outlines the plaintiff’s claims against the defendant. Once the defendant receives the summons and complaint, they have a certain amount of time to respond, usually 21 days in Michigan. Continue reading →

Skip tracing is a powerful tool used by professionals to locate individuals who have become difficult to find. At Accurate Serve® of Detroit, we typically use skip tracing to locate a process recipient that is difficult to find. However, skip tracing has many uses beyond process serving, including locating someone who owes a debt, locating a missing family member, or even finding someone who is owed money in an estate. Skip tracing is an effective way to locate those who have seemingly disappeared. 

In this post, we’ll explore the power of skip tracing and why it’s such an essential tool for anyone who needs to locate individuals. Continue reading →

As a process service agency based in Detroit, Michigan, we often get asked whether it is better to use a process server or the local sheriff for serving legal documents. While both options are available, each has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. In this post, we will discuss the pros and cons of each option and help you make an informed decision.

Process Server

One of the main advantages of using a process server is their speed and efficiency. They are dedicated to serving legal documents and have the necessary experience and knowledge to serve documents quickly and efficiently. They also have the flexibility to serve documents at any time of the day, including weekends and holidays. They have a deep understanding of the legal process and the legal requirements that apply to process servers. Continue reading →

We’ve all seen a scene in a movie where a process server attempts to serve lawsuit papers to an unwilling defendant, who quickly escapes without accepting the documents, avoiding the legal matter until they encounter the process server again. However, in the real world, this isn’t how it happens. Even if a defendant or other person being served refuses to accept the paperwork, once they’ve been identified, the service is considered valid and the court case will proceed.

What if They Never Touch the Documents?

We often hear the misconception that if the person to be served never actually touches the documents, then they can’t be considered served. This is just false. If the person being served refuses to accept the documents in hand, the process server can still document that they were delivered to the correct person. Not touching the actual papers to avoid the service isn’t clever and achieves nothing. Continue reading →

While most court cases here in Michigan are between residents of our state, there are times when the defendant or witness named in a case doesn’t live in Michigan. This is especially true for many auto accidents that occur on our state’s highways and interstates. So how does a plaintiff in Michigan have a process served on a defendant or witness who does not reside in Michigan?

No Big Differences

Luckily, there aren’t any real differences in how Michigan residents and nonresidents are served process for Michigan court cases, according to Michigan’s Rules for Civil Procedure. For individuals, the process must be served in person or via USPS Registered or Certified mail with a return receipt requested and delivery restricted to the addressee only. When the addressee accepts the process in person or acknowledges receipt of the mail by signature, the service is considered complete. This is exactly the same process as the serving process for someone who resides in Michigan, so no big differences here. Continue reading →

Once you have filed your civil lawsuit in Detroit, the clock starts ticking to get the case process served. Only once the process is served can the case move forward, so getting it done as quickly as possible is always the best policy. But exactly how long do you have to get a case’s process served in Michigan?

Timeline to Serve Process in Michigan

According to Michigan’s laws of Civil Procedure, a hearing date must be at least 15 days, but not more than 45 days, after the date the case was filed. This gives the defendants and witnesses ample time to prepare for the first appearance. If seven or fewer days are left before the hearing date and the process has still not been served, the plaintiff may request a new hearing date from the clerk of court. This new hearing date will be at least 15 days, but not more than 30 days, from the date that the new hearing date was granted. Continue reading →

If you are an attorney or individual who has filed a civil case in Detroit, your next step is to make sure that the defendants and witnesses named in your case are properly served with the case documents, including a court summons. 

Michigan Process Server Requirements

Here in Michigan, there is no official process server certification program or policy. Instead, Michigan has established just two requirements for anyone serving process in the state. Any process server in Michigan must: Continue reading →

If you’re just getting started as a process server, you’re probably wondering the best ways to boost your workload and become successful as a server. Well, you’ve come to the right place! Here at Accurate Serve® of Detroit, we know all about finding success as a process server. In this post, we’ll go over our top tips for getting started in this industry.

Be Prepared

Preparation is essential for any process server. You need to know everything about the person you’re trying to serve before you ever set one foot out of your office. This involves a combination of traditional and online research, delving into every nook and cranny of your network and the internet to gather as much information as possible. When you prepare properly before attempting service, you’re not wasting your time chasing a target around and have time to pick up even more cases. Continue reading →