New technology can be a a big help to process servers, especially when trying to track down someone who is attempting to avoid a summons. See our article on Skiptracing for more information on some of the technology that we use. Social Media technology is providing Phoenix process servers, as well as process servers from other areas, with new ways to gather information. However, some are predicting that social media and other emerging technologies could be the end of process serving as we know it. A Wired Magazine article predicted that there will be no process servers left by the year 2022, and that they will all be replaced by automated servers that could reach a person anywhere through the technology that they use. Although no one knows what the future may hold, there are some court decisions that seem to imply that process servers are still necessary, even with the ability to reach people through social media and other tech based methods of delivery.
To cite the most famous case, in April 2012 rapper Flo Rida was served via Facebook. The method of service was originally accepted, but was rejected the Court of Appeals in New South Wales, Australia. The details of the case can be found in the mondaq.com article “Courts look cautiously at service of court process by social media,” but the most important information from a process server’s point of view is why the court ruled against service of process via Facebook. The court thought that there was not enough evidence to show that the Facebook page that Flo Rida was served on belonged to him. Even if the page did belong to Flo Rida, the court doubted that it could be demonstrated that he would have seen the Facebook post in time for the court date. Other courts have cited similar reasons for being hesitant to accept social media service of process.
Regardless of advancing technology, for those who need documents served in the Phoenix area, the most reliable way (and the way most likely to hold up in a court of law) is to use a registered Arizona process server. Be sure and contact ASAP Serve for all your process serving needs.