HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS IN KANSAS

This article will provide guidance on How To Serve legal papers in Kansas. Sheriff within the sheriff’s county, the sheriff’s deputy, an attorney admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Kansas, or someone appointed as a process server by a judge or clerk of the district court is authorized to serve, levy, and execute all Kansas Process Service. Misconduct by a prosecutor is punished according to the crime for which they are prosecuted. To hinder Kansas Process Service in a criminal or civil case is a class A nonperson misdemeanor.  Click Here for Frequently Asked Questions About Process Servers!

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Firstly, in Kansas, service by publication is not permitted. The sheriff of the county where the action is filed will serve any Kansas Process Service by certified mail or e-mail. The Kansas Process Service must be placed in an envelope addressed to and postmarked for the person to be served, with adequate postage affixed and mailed back as certified mail return receipt requested, with instructions for delivery to the postal employee tasked with the delivery of the sealed envelope containing Kansas Process Service. Click here for information on What Do Process Servers in Kansas Do?

When Kansas Process Service is sent, the sheriff, the party’s lawyer, or the party themselves must sign a return on Kansas Process Service specifying the type of the process, the date on which it was delivered, and the person whose name and address appear on the envelope holding the Kansas Process Service. It is the responsibility of the sheriff, the party, or the party’s attorney to keep track of the return on service and return receipt. Kansas Process Service will be deemed achieved upon delivery of the certified postal envelope.  Click here for information on Kansas Rules of Civil Procedure

All circumstances in which a person to be served, or an agent authorized by the person to accept Kansas Process Service, refuses to receive copies thereof, the offer of the lawfully authorized process server to provide copies thereof, and the rejection will constitute adequate Kansas Process Service. Click here for information on How To Identify A Good Process Service Agency

The clerk or mayor of a city or any publicly-held corporation, body political, district, or authority is qualified to accept Kansas Process Service for that state or governmental agency. Deliveries sent by certified mail should be sent to the designated representative at the representative’s place of employment in the federal government. Additionally, any income withholding orders for support and orders of garnishment of wages for state officials and employees must be served on either the state or a governmental agency of Kansas to comprise the Kansas Process Service. Click here for information on How Rush Process Service Can Expedite Your Case.

WHAT IS A PROCESS SERVICE AGENT in Kansas

Generally speaking, if an individual, partnership, association, or corporation wishes to appoint a Kansas resident as their agent for service of process, they can do so at the secretary of state’s office by filing an instrument with the secretary of state’s office and agreeing to have Kansas Process Service served on that agent as the agent of the individual. A service agent’s appointment must be acknowledged, stating the service agent’s residential or office address, and be entered in full on the service agent’s register. If the service agent’s name or address changes, a written amendment must be submitted to the secretary of state. Click here for information on How Service of Process Ensures A Solid Foundation.

After three years, unless the appointment is revoked in writing and executed in accordance with Kansas Process Service terms, the appointment will be deemed terminated. The revocation is then entered in the register of service agents. An appointment, change, or revocation will cost USD 20 to file. All fees collected must be sent to the state treasurer at least once a month by the secretary of state. Click here for information on How Process Servers Protect Your Rights: Myths Debunked

PROOF AND EFFECT OF PROCESS SERVICE in Kansas

Outside the state, anybody may be served with a summons and complaint. Any service of process in Kansas must be made to someone who is either a resident of Kansas or a person who has consented to Kansas’ jurisdiction. Otherwise, it must be served by publication.

Kansas Process Service is served either by an officer authorized to serve the process or by sending a copy of the Kansas Process Service and the petition or other document to the person to be served. There is no need for a judicial order. There must be evidence of the time, method, and location of service provided by the server, such as an affidavit or other legally acceptable proof. Any competent evidence, including the affidavit, may be used by the court to determine whether service has been properly performed.

At least thirty days must elapse following service before a default is recorded. Only a timely and adequate showing and modifications may set aside a default judgment made outside this state.

First, if the case is brought against two or more defendants jointly indebted, the plaintiff may continue against the defendants served until the court directs otherwise. As long as all of the defendants are jointly obligated, a judgment may be issued against all of them in order to be enforced against the joint property of all. The defendants’ separate property would thus be considered served. For those defendants who are jointly and severally responsible for an action, the plaintiff may continue against them in the 

The time, location, and mode of service of a writ and its modifications by every official to whom summons or another process is to be handed for service inside or outside the state. Affidavits must be made by anybody who receives Kansas Process Service other than an officer if the process is directed to and delivered to a person other than an officer for service. An affidavit stating the dates and the newspaper where the publication’s notice was published is required to establish service by publication. 

In the case that an officer or other person is served with a summons or other process, they must return the summons or Kansas Process Service within ten days after receiving it. An explanation for why a Kansas Process Service has not been served must be provided to the court within thirty days following its date of issuance, except that this period may be extended up to a maximum of ninety days by the court or judge to whom the Kansas Process Service is returnable. After receiving any return on a summons or other process, a copy of that return will be sent to the attorney for the party requesting the issuance of that summons or another processor. If that party does not have an attorney, then the process is sent to the requesting party’s itself by the clerk of the court issuing the same.

HOW to serve A SUBPOENA in Kansas

To begin, a subpoena must include in its first paragraph [A.] the name of the court issuing the subpoena; [B] a description of the action being sought; and [C] instructions directing the parties involved to appear and give testimony or to produce and permit inspection and copying of specific books or documents or tangible items in their possession or control.

Even though a summons may be issued alongside a summons for a person to appear in court, the summons to provide evidence and allow inspections might be issued independently.

Second, a subpoena issued by the district court in which the hearing or trial is to be conducted must require attendance. When a deposition is taking place outside of the state, a subpoena issued by an authority authorized by the law of that state is required. Separate from an order to appear in court, an order for production or inspection must be issued by the district court in which a case is being litigated or, if it is to take place outside of the state of Kansas, from an authority authorized to do so by law in that state.

The clerk of the court or a judge may issue a subpoena on behalf of the court. The clerk will issue a blank subpoena if requested by a party. The clerk’s signature or a replica of the clerk’s signature must appear on the blank subpoena, along with the name and file number of the action. Before serving a blank subpoena, the party to whom it is issued must complete it.

There is no limit to the locations where a subpoena may be served, and it must be accompanied by costs for one day’s attendance and travel expenses if the individual is compelled to appear in person at the location where the subpoena is served. An independent deposition is not necessary when the parties are requesting a document or property examination before a trial.

Subpoenas must be issued and served in an effort to avoid putting an unreasonable hardship or cost on the person who is being subpoenaed. Any party or attorney who fails to abide by the terms of the subpoena may face an appropriate penalty from the court, which may include but is not limited to an attorney fee.

There is no need for the individual who has been summoned by a judge or magistrate to appear in person at the location where he or she is ordered to produce and allow inspection and copying or inspection of designated documents and tangible things to be present at the location of the production or inspection.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A COMPLETE SUBPOENA in Kansas

A person commanded to produce and allow inspection and copying may, within fourteen days after service of the subpoena or before the time specified for compliance if such time is less than fourteen days after service, serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to inspection or copying of any or all of the designated materials and the premises. If an objection is lodged, the party serving the subpoena should not be permitted to view and copy the documents or investigate the premises unless the subpoena was issued by the court. The party serving the subpoena may, at any time, petition for an order to compel the production of the requested information. Anyone who isn’t a party or an official of a party will not have to pay for the extensive scrutiny and copying required by such a court order. 

Subpoenas can be modified or quashed if they fail to allow sufficient time for compliance, require a person who is not a party or an officer of a party to travel more than a hundred miles from their place of residence, employment, or regular business; or demand travel to a location more than a hundred miles from their place of residence.

If a subpoena [A.[ requires disclosure of a trade secret; [B.] requires disclosure of an unretained expert’s opinion; or [C.] requires disclosure of an unretained expert’s information not describing specific events or occurrences in dispute; or [D.] requires a person who is not a party or an officer of a party to incur substantial expense to travel more than a hundred miles, then the subpoena is invalid.

Documents must be produced as they are stored in the normal course of business or organized and labeled in accordance with a subpoena’s requirement. If information is withheld because it is claimed to be privileged or protected as trial preparation materials, this claim must be made in writing and clearly stated. Documents, messages, or items not provided must be described in sufficient detail to allow the requesting party to challenge the claim.

In the event that any individual fails to comply with a subpoena issued against them, the court in which the matter is being litigated may hold them in contempt of court. 

All parties to the action must be notified at least ten days in advance of the issuing of a subpoena issued if the appearance of the custodian of the business documents is not needed. All parties must be served with a copy of the proposed subpoena at the same time as the notice. Subpoenas cannot be issued until the case is adjourned by the court if any party objects to the production of the documents requested by the subpoena.

The clerk of the court must inform the party that issued the subpoena for the business records upon receipt of the business records. To cancel a deposition after receiving the documents, a party must inform the other parties in writing of the action and provide them with copies of the materials. Afterward, a party wishing to see or copy the record must provide reasonable notice to the other parties involved in the case. There should be a time and location specified in the announcement. It is the duty of the custodian of the records who submitted them to delete any documents that are not brought in evidence or needed as a part of the record.

how to domesticate an OUT-OF-STATE SUBPOENA in kansas

Issuing an out-of-state subpoena pursuant to the Uniform Interstate Deposition and Discovery Act (UIDDA)-Kansas, the clerk of the court in the county where discovery is to be performed in this state must be presented with a foreign subpoena before it may be requested that a subpoena be issued under this section. Subpoenas issued under this law do not obligate a person to appear in court in Kansas.

Second, the clerk of a court in this state must swiftly issue a summons to the person to whom the international subpoena is sent, in line with that court’s process.

A subpoena issued for a foreign defendant must include: [A.]   the terminology appropriate for the subpoena from abroad; and [B.]  part of the subpoena, it must include or be accompanied with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all counsel of record and of any party that is not represented by counsel.

OUR PROCESS

Documents can be faxed at (800) 296-0115, emailed ps@undisputedlegal.com, mailed, or dropped off at any of our locations. We do require pre-payment and accept all major credit and debit cards. Once payment is processed, your sales receipt is immediately emailed for your records.

Drop-offs must call and make an appointment first to be added to building security to permit access to our office. Documents for service must be in a sealed envelope with payment in the form of a money order or attorney check (WE DO NOT ACCEPT CASH) payable to UNDISPUTED LEGAL INC.; All documents are received by our receptionist.

DOMESTIC COVERAGE AREAS:

Alaska | Alabama | Arkansas | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | District of Columbia | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Iowa | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Maine | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | North Carolina | North Dakota| Nebraska | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | Nevada | New York | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon| Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Virginia | Vermont | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE AREAS:

Albania | Andorra | Anguilla | Antigua | Argentina | Armenia | Australia | Austria | Azerbaijan | Bahamas | Barbados | Belarus | Belgium | Belize | Bermuda | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Botswana | Brazil | British Honduras| British Virgin Islands | Bulgaria | Canada | Cayman Islands | Central and Southern Line Islands | Chile|China (Macao) | China People’s Republic | Colombia | Costa Rica | Country of Georgia | Croatia | Cyprus| Czech Republic| Denmark | Dominican Republic | Ecuador | Egypt | Estonia | Falkland Islands and Dependences | Fiji | Finland | France | Germany | Gibraltar | Gilbert and Ellice Islands | Greece | Guernsey | Hong Kong | Hungary | Iceland | India | Ireland | Isle of Man | Israel | Italy | Jamaica | Japan | Jersey Channel Islands | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Korea| Kuwait | Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malawi | Malaysia | Malta | Mauritius | Mexico| MonacoMontenegro| Montserrat | Morocco | Namibia | Netherlands | New Zealand|Nicaragua | Norway | Pakistan | Panama | Paraguay | Peru | Philippines | Pitcairn |Poland | Portugal | Republic of Moldova | Republic of North Macedonia | Romania |Russian Federation | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | San Marino | Saudi Arabia | Serbia| Seychelles | Singapore| Slovakia | Slovenia | South Africa | Spain | Sri Lanka | St. Helena and Dependencies | St. Lucia | Sweden| Switzerland | Taiwan | Thailand | Tunisia | Turkey | Turks and Caicos Islands| UkraineUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Uruguay | US Virgin Islands | Uzbekistan | Venezuela | Vietnam

OFFICE LOCATIONS

New York: (212) 203-8001 – 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10022
Brooklyn: (347) 983-5436 – 300 Cadman Plaza West, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11201
Queens: (646) 357-3005 – 118-35 Queens Blvd, Suite 400, Forest Hills, New York 11375
Long Island: (516) 208-4577 – 626 RXR Plaza, 6th Floor, Uniondale, New York 11556
Westchester: (914) 414-0877 – 50 Main Street, 10th Floor, White Plains, New York 10606
Connecticut: (203) 489-2940 – 500 West Putnam Avenue, Suite 400, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
New Jersey: (201) 630-0114 – 101 Hudson Street, 21 Floor, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
Washington DC: (202) 655-4450 – 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Suite 300, Washington DC 20004

FOR ASSISTANCE SERVING LEGAL PAPERS IN KANSAS

Pick up the phone and call Toll Free (800) 774-6922, or click the service you want to purchase. Our dedicated team of professionals is ready to assist you. We can handle all your Kansas process service needs; no job is too small or too large!   For a complete list of our Kansas Process Service Coverage Areas, Click Here!

Contact us for more information about our process-serving agency. We are ready to provide service of process to all our clients globally from our offices in New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C.

“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

Sources

1. Including but not limited to writs of execution, orders of attachment, replevin orders, orders for delivery, and writs of restitution and assistance.

2. Nonperson felony degree 9 in criminal proceedings involves obstruction.

3. unless the attorney for the party or the party, if an attorney does not represent the party, requests personal or residence service.

4. Acceptance of the summons is the same as service. The day a defendant makes a voluntary appearance in court counts as the date on which he or she began serving time.

5. Or, if no clerk or secretary can be located, an officer, director, or manager of that organization; and any state agency.

6. There will be an affidavit submitted in the case with a copy of the notice. By filing an affidavit from the person who sent the publication notice, a person may prove that he or she did so as required by K.S.A. 60-307 and modifications thereto. That affidavit can be used as evidence in court. An affidavit must include a return receipt if it was sent via certified mail, if applicable.

7. Originally enacted in 1963, this law was revised by the Supreme Court on July 28, 1976, and reenacted in 1986, 1990, and 1998; it was again reenacted on July 1, 1998, and became law on July 1, 1999.

. K.S.A. 60-245a and changes thereto governs the subpoena and production of documents for a company that is not a party.

9. As set out in Section 60-205 and revisions of the Kansas Revised Statutes (KRS).

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