WHAT DO PROCESS SERVERS IN CONNECTICUT DO?

This article will provide guidance on What Do Process Servers in Connecticut Do? Service of process in a civil matter must be made on the appropriate court at least thirty days (inclusive) before the day of the sitting of the Supreme Court or the Superior Court at least twelve days (inclusive) before such day.

At least twenty days prior to the return day, a process in civil actions returnable to the Supreme Court shall be returned to its clerk. If returnable to the Superior Court, the process shall be returned to the clerk of such court at least six days before the return day, except in summary process actions and petitions for paternity and support.

BACKGROUND

A sheriff, their deputy, a constable, or other appropriate authority authorized by legislation or a person not interested can serve the process. Any sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, or other suitable officials may be served with the process provided it is directed ‘to any proper officer.’ It is preferable to involve a private process server like Undisputed Legal since our Connecticut process service agencies are significantly more accountable to each client, especially considering that the range of activities offered by a sheriff is not limited merely to the service of process. 

Unless more than one defendant is named in the process and described to reside in different counties in the state, or unless, in the case of a writ of attachment, the plaintiff or one of the plaintiffs takes the oath before the authority signing the affidavit, the signing official must state that they administered the oath and provide the name of the party receiving the writ but is not required to explain why that person is receiving it. Suppose it can be shown that the party providing the affidavit did not have reasonable reasons at the time of making it for believing the assertions in the affidavit to be accurate. In that case, any process directed to an indifferent person on the basis of the affidavit may be dismissed. Please visit our rules and laws page, Connecticut Rules of Civil Procedure.   For instructions on How To Serve Legal Papers in Connecticut, Click Here!

WHAT DOES A PROCESS SERVER DO IN CONNECTICUT

A defendant may be served with a summons by having an officer read him the document and the accompanying complaint or by having an authenticated copy of the summons and complaint left at his residence. The officer providing service must include the address where the certified copy was placed at the defendant’s normal residence on his return when service is performed by leaving the copy at that location.

Legal process forms apply to private citizens, public entities, businesses, and non-profit organizations. A genuine and certified copy of the statement or complaint and summons in a civil action must be left with the defendant or at his regular residence.  Service of process in action brought against a partnership may be made by delivering a copy of the writ and the complaint to the last known address of each partner named in action by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, prior to the return date. If no partners are residents of the state, service may be made upon the Secretary of State. Mailing and receipt confirmations must be provided.

At Undisputed Legal, we take the burden of process service off our clients. Our team of process servers in Connecticut is highly trained, even if Connecticut does not need licensing. We ensure that our clients are always looped into the service timeline, including real-time email updates to our clients, GPS affidavits of service, and an email copy of the affidavit before mailing. We also offer a free basic skip trace for new clients. 

OUT-OF-STATE PROCESS SERVICE IN CONNECTICUT

The foreign service of process must be made in compliance with the applicable treaty, convention, or court order. The civil process must not be served outside the United States of America in contravention of any relevant treaty or convention, including, but not limited to, the Hague Convention on Service of Process Abroad. 

The Superior Court may, upon application, order service of process upon such terms as the court deems reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings in sufficient time for the defendant to defend if service of process cannot be made within sixty days under the applicable treaty or convention.

At Undisputed Legal, we also aid in process service from out of state. Our Connecticut process servers serve all legal documents, including summons and complaints, divorce papers, family court documents, subpoenas, citations, small claims court cases, orders to show cause, petitions, discovery documents, evictions, landlord/tenant notices, motions, and more. We are a full-service process server agency providing services to federal, state & city agencies, law firms, attorneys, and the general public in Connecticut.

We make sure that our process servers follow all the requirements of Connecticut. Our clients receive professionals who ensure that service is done speedily and accurately. Our highly trained process servers offer five (5) levels of process service in Connecticut, being [A.] routine service when a  Process Server makes its first attempt within three to seven business days; [B.] rush service, wherein the Process Server will make their first attempt within forty-eight hours; Same Day service where service is first attempted the same day and [D.] service of mail when documents are issued within twenty-four hours of service. 

The only difference in the above levels of service is the start times; they all include the Connecticut process server making up to three (3) attempts (Morning, Afternoon & Evening). Another level of service offered is  Stake-Out service, with our Process Server appearing on the date & duration of time you select. It is a highly specified level of service since the client is provided the ability to 

choose the date & duration of time. It should be noted. However, that stakeout service requires a minimum of an hour’s waiting time. 

SERVICE OF DOCUMENTS 

Witness subpoenas must be signed by the court clerk or a commissioner of the Superior Court. They may be served by a law enforcement officer, a neutral third party, or, in the case of a criminal defendant who a public defender or special public defender, or an investigator from the Division of Public Defender Services, represents. Unless the court directs otherwise, the subpoena must be delivered at least eighteen hours before the witness is required to attend. At Undisputed Legal, we ensure that service is provided well within this timeline. We ensure that all documents are issued within a short period of receipt and take the responsibility off our client’s shoulders. 

If a witness who the state has subpoenaed, the Attorney General, an assistant Attorney General, a public defender, or an assistant public defender acting in his official capacity, or any other person upon whom a subpoena is served to appear and testify in a cause pending before any court and to whom one day’s attendance and fees for traveling to court have been tendered, fails to appear. 

SERVICE OF PROCESS

By law, all civil processes must be served by a sheriff, deputy, constable, or other proper officer authorized by statute (CGS § 52-50). In addition, an ‘indifferent person’ can serve the process under two circumstances. An indifferent person can serve the process if more than one defendant is named and resides in different counties. An indifferent person can also serve the process if the plaintiff or his attorney swears to the person signing the process that he believes the plaintiff is in danger of losing his debt unless an indifferent person makes immediate service of the process. The process must be signed by a licensed attorney, a judge, or a court clerk (CGS § 52-45a).

CONNECTICUT PROCESS SERVER UPDATES

To keep abreast of our latest developments in Connecticut concerning process serving and legal services, we encourage you to visit our Blog and Google My Business page. Our GMB page is an excellent resource for accessing the most recent articles and information, ensuring you are always well-informed. Connect with us directly here to stay updated on process service offerings in Connecticut.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• How Process Servers Protect Your Rights: Myths Debunked
• How To Overcome Language Barriers in Process Service
• How Skip Tracing Services Help Locate Witnesses, Defendants and Assets In Legal Cases
• Process Server Stakeouts: Understanding When and Why They Are Used
• How To Effectively Serve Orders Of Protection in Domestic Violence Cases
• How To Avoid Common Pitfalls Serving Divorce Papers: What You Need To Know
• How To Serve Legal Documents To Inmates
• How To Serve Legal Papers Internationally
• How Military Verification Works in Process Service
• How To Serve Legal Papers on Miltary Bases

FOR ASSISTANCE SERVING LEGAL PAPERS

Click the “Place Order” button at the top of this page or call us at (800) 774-6922 to begin. Our team of experienced process servers is ready to assist you with reliable and efficient service of your documents, ensuring compliance with all legal requirements. We offer both comprehensive support and à la carte services tailored to your specific needs:

• Prompt and professional service of process
• Accurate completion of affidavits of service
• Rush service for time-sensitive matters
• Skip tracing for hard-to-locate parties
• Detailed reporting on service attempts

Don’t risk case delays or dismissals due to improper service. Let Undisputed Legal’s skilled team handle the important task of serving legal papers for you. Our diligent, professional service helps attorneys, pro se litigants, and parents ensure their papers are served correctly and on time.

Take the first step towards ensuring proper service in your case – click “Place Order” or call (800) 774-6922 now. Let Undisputed Legal be your trusted partner in navigating the critical process of serving your documents.

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives” – Foster, William A