Process Servers’ Permissible & Prohibited Disguises
Service of process is often one of the most dramatic scenes in TV shows and movies that involve legal issues. It’s not uncommon to see service processors going to great lengths to serve people who lie about who they are, who jump out windows to avoid process servers, and to run from the papers being held out to them. The truth is not too far from those depictions, even though they are a bit over-the-top. We’ve definitely dealt with our fair share of defendants going to extreme lengths to avoid being processed.
One thing you’ll see in those depictions of Arizona process servers is the server donning disguises or pretending to be other people in order to trick the defendant into admitting their identity and accepting the papers. You may be wondering if that is really allowed. Are process servers permitted to conceal their identity? The short answer is that yes, they can, though there are some limitations.
Permissible Disguises: Allowed To Take Under The Law
There are a lot of disguises that process servers are allowed to take on under the law. One of the most popular – and effective – disguises for process servers is that of the floral delivery person. The server shows up, says they have flowers for the person, waits for the person to appear, and then hands over the legal documents instead. The great thing about this disguise is that it doesn’t require anything more than a small floral arrangement. No special outfit or other props are needed.
Some other popular options include food delivery people or even construction workers. Food delivery works like flower delivery. The process server shows up with a pizza box, for example, and asks for the person, then hands over the documents. Real food isn’t even needed as the person is not usually going to ask to see what’s inside to verify that there is pizza before admitting to who they are.
When disguised as construction workers, process servers might show up wearing an orange vest or a hard hat and ask to talk to the homeowner to get permission to block the road or to let them know that there will be noise because of some fabricated work. When the homeowner identifies themselves, the process server delivers the legal documents.
Prohibited Disguises: Against The Law
There are laws that prohibit Arizona process servers from pretending to be certain people. For example, process servers are not allowed to pretend to be a police officer or a government employee. It is against the law for any person to impersonate these people, as they are public service professionals. Process servers cannot wear clothing that suggests they act in these roles, nor can they tell people that they do.
Process servers also are not allowed to pretend to be workers for the U.S. Postal Service or for other mail services, such as FedEx or UPS. You might think these would be ideal disguises for getting someone to admit who they are – to accept a letter or package, for instance – but they are prohibited.
Process serving companies have to get creative to find ways to track down and to serve elusive subjects. Not only do they have to think of effective ways to reach people, but they have to be sure that they are operating within the law while doing so. If you hire a process serving company that violates any of the rules when serving the paperwork, your whole case could be jeopardized. You need to hire a reputable process server that will get results quickly and legally so that your case can move forward in a timely manner and on firm legal footing.
Contact Fast & Reliable Arizona Process Servers
ASAP Serve is a reputable process serving company providing service of process to Mesa and the surrounding area. We offer service of process for all types of cases, including divorces, child custody and child support disputes, personal injury cases, and more. We can deliver subpoenas and provide court document filing, court research service, and court document delivery, as well. We have developed a top reputation in Mesa for our reliable results and our professional service. Fill out our online service request or call us today to submit your request for process of service.
