Serve Johnson & Johnson: Multi-State Service in NJ, NY, DE

As of 2026, Johnson & Johnson — headquartered at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08933 — maintains a registered agent at its principal executive office in New Jersey. Effective service requires delivery to that registered agent in Middlesex County. Service routed through New York or Delaware fails. Undisputed Legal confirms current routing on every assignment.

1. Confirm the correct J&J entity named in the summons (parent, Consumer Inc., Services Inc., or other subsidiary)
2. Identify the registered agent and service address in the controlling jurisdiction using current public records
3. Dispatch a licensed process server with GPS-verified affidavit documentation for every attempt

Undisputed Legal is a nationwide process serving firm licensed in all 50 states. Our servers carry current licensure in New Jersey and New York, use GPS-verified documentation on every attempt, and have served Fortune 500 corporations including Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries across multiple jurisdictions. Every affidavit reflects the actual time, date, and GPS coordinates of service — not an estimate or a later reconstruction.

We hold active memberships in NAPPS (National Association of Professional Process Servers), NYSPPSA (New York State Professional Process Servers Association), FAPPS, IAPPS, AAJ, and the New Jersey State Bar Association Allied Members program, among other national and state professional organizations. These affiliations reflect our commitment to documentation standards that hold up in court.

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Why Serving Johnson & Johnson Is Harder Than It Looks

Johnson & Johnson appears on more summonses than almost any other corporate defendant in the United States. That volume of litigation has also produced a corresponding volume of defective service — stale addresses, wrong entities, outdated jurisdictional assumptions, and routing errors that accumulate over decades of J&J-related filings. The four structural factors below explain why service on J&J is consistently harder than it should be, and why a pre-dispatch verification step is not optional on these matters.

The Parent vs. Subsidiary Problem

Johnson & Johnson (SIC 2834 — Pharmaceutical Preparations) is an operating parent corporation, not a holding shell. It conducts business in its own name while also operating through a network of separately incorporated subsidiaries, each of which is a distinct legal entity with its own registered agent, its own state registrations, and its own service address. Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ethicon Inc., DePuy Synthes, and — since August 2023 — Kenvue Inc. are not the same legal entity as the parent. A summons that names Johnson & Johnson does not authorize service on Consumer Inc., and vice versa.

This matters operationally because the entity named on the face of the summons is the entity that must be served. Serving the wrong J&J entity — even if the address is correct for that entity — is defective service as to the named defendant. The error is compounded when litigants assume that any J&J entity can accept service for any other. They cannot. Identify the exact named defendant, confirm its registration and registered agent, and dispatch to that specific entity’s address. The parent’s New Brunswick address does not work for Consumer Inc. Consumer Inc.’s Wilmington address does not work for the parent.

The Post-Kenvue Separation Timeline

Johnson & Johnson completed the spin-off of its consumer health division as Kenvue Inc. in August 2023, with the full separation of J&J’s remaining Kenvue shares distributed to J&J stockholders at that time. The Kenvue initial public offering (KVUE, NYSE) preceded the full separation by several months. Post-separation, the products and operations formerly held under J&J’s consumer umbrella — including Tylenol, Band-Aid, Neutrogena, Aveeno, and Johnson’s Baby — are Kenvue’s responsibility. Johnson & Johnson no longer owns or operates those brands.

The routing implication is direct: matters arising from conduct after the separation should name Kenvue, not Johnson & Johnson. Matters arising from pre-separation conduct require analysis of which entity held the relevant operations at the time of the operative events. The gap period — from the Kenvue IPO through the full separation — requires particular care. Serving Johnson & Johnson for a post-separation Kenvue consumer health claim names the wrong party entirely. The J&J parent cannot accept service for a claim that belongs to Kenvue, and a motion to dismiss on this basis is straightforward for defense counsel.

Post-Daimler Personal Jurisdiction and What It Means for Service

In Daimler AG v. Bauman, 571 U.S. 117 (2014), the Supreme Court held that general personal jurisdiction over a corporation requires the corporation to be “essentially at home” in the forum state — a standard that typically limits general jurisdiction to the state of incorporation and the state of principal place of business. For Johnson & Johnson, that means New Jersey on both counts. Courts outside New Jersey cannot assert general jurisdiction over the J&J parent based solely on J&J’s nationwide commercial activity, product distribution, or clinical research presence.

The service routing implication is this: cases filed in non-home venues on a general jurisdiction theory that Daimler makes contestable should be served in New Jersey. Service in New Jersey on the registered agent at the principal executive office is always defensible regardless of where the case is filed. Service in a non-home state based on a general jurisdiction theory that the defendant may successfully challenge creates downstream risk — the service may later be called into question if the venue is changed or the jurisdictional challenge succeeds. From a process server’s standpoint, the clean choice is NJ service on the parent, in every forum.

The 1984 New York Surrender — Why the Error Still Appears in 2026

Johnson & Johnson surrendered its authority to do business in New York on February 21, 1984. The New York Department of State record (DOS ID 1088) shows status INACTIVE — AUTHORITY SURRENDERED. CT Corp System at 1633 Broadway, New York, NY no longer has authority to accept service for the Johnson & Johnson parent as of that date — and has not had that authority for over four decades.

The error persists in 2026 for a structural reason: J&J is the most-litigated corporation in the country. Decades of prior case filings, commercial database records, and process server affidavits have accumulated entries listing 1633 Broadway as a J&J service address. New paralegals and new servers inherit those records without the context that the entry predates the 1984 surrender. The DOS record is the only authoritative current source. A current DOS search takes two minutes. An unchallenged return from 1633 Broadway for the J&J parent is, at best, a motion to quash waiting to be filed.

Five Common Pitfalls When Serving Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson is one of the most litigated corporations in the United States. That volume of litigation has produced decades of accumulated service errors — stale addresses, wrong entities, outdated statutory assumptions. The five pitfalls below account for the majority of defective service returns Undisputed Legal is asked to cure after another server’s failed attempt.

Pitfall 1 — The 1633 Broadway Address Trap

Many process servers and attorneys default to CT Corp System at 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 when serving large corporations. For Johnson & Johnson, this is a critical error. J&J’s authority to do business in New York was surrendered on February 21, 1984. New York DOS records for J&J (DOS ID 1088) show status INACTIVE — AUTHORITY SURRENDERED. CT Corp at 1633 Broadway has no authority to accept service for the Johnson & Johnson parent entity as of that date.

Service delivered to 1633 Broadway for the Johnson & Johnson parent is defective on its face. New York courts will reject the return if the defendant challenges service — and J&J defense teams routinely challenge service as a preliminary matter in mass tort and product liability cases. Matters requiring service on the parent must route through New Jersey regardless of the filing venue. This is the single most common service error on J&J matters that comes through our office for correction.

Pitfall 2 — Serving the Wrong J&J Entity

Johnson & Johnson operates through dozens of named subsidiaries. Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (DE file 6013522) and Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. (DE file 3591138) are separate legal entities with separate registrations, separate registered agents, and separate service addresses. Serving the parent when the complaint names Consumer Inc. — or serving Consumer Inc. when the complaint names the parent — creates a service defect that the defendant can exploit in motion practice. The entity named on the face of the summons controls the service target. Confirm this before dispatch, not after a failed return.

Pitfall 3 — Pre/Post-Kenvue Separation Errors

Johnson & Johnson completed the spin-off of its consumer health division as Kenvue Inc. in 2023. Products formerly under the J&J consumer brand — including Tylenol, Band-Aid, and Neutrogena — are now Kenvue products and Kenvue’s corporate responsibility. Matters arising from post-spin conduct must name Kenvue, not J&J. Matters arising from pre-spin conduct require analysis of which entity held the relevant operations at the time of the operative events. Serving Johnson & Johnson for a Kenvue-era claim is a factual error, not merely a technical service defect — it names the wrong party.

Pitfall 4 — Talc Litigation and MDL Entity Routing

Service in talc cases typically names both Johnson & Johnson and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. as co-defendants. The MDL venue, the correct legal entity for each claim period, and the operative registered agent must all be confirmed against current case management orders before dispatch. Routing service based on outdated entity charts from pre-2023 filings — before the Consumer Inc. bankruptcy proceedings and Kenvue spin-off restructured the corporate family — generates service errors that delay the matter and create grounds for defense challenge.

Active bankruptcy stays affecting J&J Consumer subsidiaries can suspend service. Any current stay status should be confirmed against MDL 3126 case management orders before dispatch. Undisputed Legal does not dispatch until the correct entity, jurisdiction, and stay status are confirmed for each talc matter assigned to us.

Pitfall 5 — DePuy Synthes Subsidiary Service

DePuy Synthes is J&J’s orthopedics subsidiary. As of 2026, its status as a J&J subsidiary should be confirmed against current EDGAR filings on every new matter — corporate structures involving large subsidiaries in active multi-district litigation can shift, and serving an entity at a stale address based on prior-year filings risks defective service. The gap between a database record and a current public filing can represent a material change in registered agent identity or corporate standing.

Undisputed Legal confirms current subsidiary status, registered agent identity, and service address through an internal business report before dispatching on any J&J-family matter involving orthopedics subsidiaries. Address confirmation is part of our standard pre-dispatch protocol for all Fortune 500 service assignments, not an optional add-on.

Pitfall 6 — The 1209 Orange Street Trap

The error at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware mirrors the 1633 Broadway problem. CT Corp at 1209 Orange Street is the registered agent for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (DE file 6013522) and Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. (DE file 3591138). It is not a universal J&J service address. Attempting to serve the Johnson & Johnson parent there fails: the parent is not qualified in Delaware, and CT Corp cannot accept service for a principal that is not registered in that state. The error occurs when litigants assume that any CT Corp address where a J&J entity is registered works for the parent. Each entity requires service at its own registered agent address in the jurisdiction where it holds current registration.

Pitfall 7 — Post-Daimler Jurisdictional Failures

Filing in a non-home venue on a general jurisdiction theory that Daimler AG v. Bauman, 571 U.S. 117 (2014), forecloses, and then routing service to that venue, creates a compound exposure. If the defendant successfully challenges personal jurisdiction, service made in the non-home venue becomes moot — and if the statute of limitations has run in the interim, the window to re-serve may be closed. From a service standpoint, the calculation is simple: New Jersey service on the J&J parent is defensible in every filing venue without exception. Service in a non-home state on a contestable general jurisdiction theory is a bet on whether the venue survives a Daimler challenge. For J&J matters, that bet is unnecessary when NJ service is always available.

Pitfall 8 — Registered Agent Rotation and Registry Lag

Registered agents at large corporations change, and the state registry record does not always update the same day — a filing and processing lag can stretch days or weeks. An internal business report pulled at case intake and then relied upon months later may route service to an agent who no longer holds the appointment. The exposure is highest on high-volume defendants like J&J, where prior case files accumulate stale registry data at scale. Undisputed Legal pulls a fresh internal business report immediately before dispatch on every assignment, regardless of prior service history on the same entity. The pre-dispatch pull date is documented in the affidavit package, establishing that the service address was current-verified at the time of dispatch.

How Undisputed Legal Serves Johnson & Johnson

Pre-Dispatch Verification Protocol

Undisputed Legal has served major corporations in New Jersey and New York for over two decades. Our pre-dispatch protocol for Johnson & Johnson matters starts with entity confirmation: we pull a current internal business report to verify that the named defendant is still registered at the address we plan to serve, that no intervening corporate event has changed the registered agent, and that no active stay applies to the matter. This confirmation step happens before a server is dispatched — not after a failed return triggers a second order.

GPS-Verified Service

For New Jersey service on the parent entity, we dispatch a licensed server to One Johnson & Johnson Plaza in New Brunswick. Our servers are familiar with Middlesex County courthouse requirements and the documentation standards required for affidavits of service that will be filed in federal and state court. Every attempt is logged with GPS coordinates, timestamp, and server certification at the moment of the attempt — not reconstructed from notes after the fact.

First Attempt and Additional Attempts

First attempt is made within 3-7 business days of order placement. If the first attempt does not result in completed service, we continue with additional attempts and provide status updates after each one. Our affidavit reflects every attempt — successful or not — with full GPS verification and server identification. For rush matters, same-day dispatch is available; contact our office directly to confirm availability before placing the order.

Affidavit and Return Timeline

Our documentation package includes a GPS-verified affidavit of service, a server certification, and a copy of the documents served. For federal matters in the District of New Jersey, our affidavit format satisfies FRCP 4(l) proof-of-service requirements. For New Jersey Superior Court matters, our affidavit format satisfies New Jersey Court Rule 4:4-7. Affidavits are provided within 24 hours of completed service and are formatted for immediate filing without amendment.

Multi-State and Multi-Defendant Coordination

For matters requiring service on multiple J&J-family entities across New Jersey, Delaware, and other states, Undisputed Legal assigns a single coordinator who manages dispatch sequence, tracks return status for each named defendant, and consolidates affidavits into a unified documentation package. Typical sequence: parent entity first (New Jersey), then Delaware-qualified subsidiaries (Consumer Inc., Services Inc.), then any additional state assignments. The consolidated package is formatted for multi-defendant filing in the governing court.

Johnson & Johnson matters require entity confirmation before dispatch. Stale registered agent data and outdated subsidiary charts are the leading cause of service failure on large corporate defendants — our pre-dispatch verification step eliminates this risk before the server leaves the office. An attorney who orders service through Undisputed Legal does not need to pre-verify the address; that step is built into our process.

Every affidavit Undisputed Legal produces carries GPS-verified coordinates and a device timestamp from the server’s equipment at the moment of service. This is the documentation standard required by courts that have seen GPS-verification challenged on large corporate service returns — and it is our baseline standard, not an upgrade tier.

Order Service on Johnson & Johnson — New Jersey, New York, Delaware

Verified Service Paths by Entity

The correct service address for a Johnson & Johnson matter depends on which entity is named in the summons and which jurisdiction’s law governs service. The three routing paths below cover the parent entity and the two most commonly served subsidiaries. Verify the named entity and current registration status before selecting a path.

Path 1 — New Jersey (Primary Route for Parent Entity)

Johnson & Johnson is incorporated in New Jersey and maintains its principal executive office at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08933. The registered agent for the parent entity is located at this address. Under N.J.S.A. § 14A:4-2, service on a domestic New Jersey corporation is made by delivering process to a registered agent, officer, or managing or general agent at the registered office. Personal delivery to an authorized recipient at the New Brunswick address completes service under New Jersey law.

For most matters naming the parent entity, New Jersey is the controlling service jurisdiction regardless of where the underlying litigation is filed. A New York federal action naming J&J as defendant still requires service at the New Jersey principal office unless the court orders alternative service. Undisputed Legal dispatches licensed New Jersey servers for these assignments from our coverage area in Middlesex County. We confirm the identity of the authorized recipient at the time of service and include that identification in the affidavit.

Path 2 — New York (Subsidiary Matters with Current Qualification Only)

The Johnson & Johnson parent entity has not been qualified to do business in New York since February 21, 1984. Any J&J subsidiary that maintains a current New York qualification and a current registered agent in New York can be served through that registered agent. CT Corp System currently operates at 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005 — not at 1633 Broadway, which is an outdated address that persists in many commercial process serving databases and court filings from prior decades.

Before serving a J&J subsidiary in New York, confirm active qualification status and the current registered agent address through the New York DOS Corporation and Business Entity Database. Do not rely on prior-case affidavits or commercial database pulls without verifying against the current DOS record — registered agent addresses change, and an outdated address from a prior filing can silently produce defective service. Undisputed Legal performs this verification as part of our standard pre-dispatch protocol for all New York corporate service assignments.

Path 3 — Delaware (Consumer Inc. and Services Inc. Only)

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (DE file 6013522) and Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. (DE file 3591138) are both qualified in Delaware and use CT Corp System at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 as their registered agent. Service on these specific entities in Delaware is made through CT Corp at the Wilmington address. Delaware’s registered agent acceptance regime requires that the entity be currently qualified and that the agent be current — both conditions should be confirmed against the Delaware Division of Corporations record before dispatch.

The Johnson & Johnson parent entity is not qualified in Delaware. Service attempted through CT Corp Wilmington for the parent will not be accepted and will not constitute valid service under Delaware law or FRCP 4(h)(1). Route parent-entity service to New Jersey regardless of which state’s court has the matter. Undisputed Legal confirms entity qualification status in Delaware before dispatch on any J&J-family Delaware service order, and we do not attempt service at CT Corp Wilmington for any entity not confirmed as currently qualified in the Delaware Division of Corporations database.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. is Johnson & Johnson’s principal pharmaceutical subsidiary. Its principal operations are based in Horsham, Pennsylvania, and it operates research and commercial facilities across multiple states. Janssen is a separate legal entity from the J&J parent and requires independent service — routing a Janssen summons to One Johnson & Johnson Plaza in New Brunswick is service on the wrong entity.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. maintains a registered agent in one or more states. Confirm the current registered agent name and address in the applicable jurisdiction against the relevant state business registry before instructing service — registered agents at subsidiaries of this size rotate, and the state registry is the only authoritative current source. For matters in Pennsylvania courts or the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, note that Pennsylvania’s consent-by-registration statute may establish general jurisdiction over any corporation registered to do business in Pennsylvania under Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway, 600 U.S. 122 (2023). Whether Janssen currently holds a PA registration should be confirmed against the Pennsylvania Corporation Bureau before routing service in PA. Undisputed Legal confirms current Janssen registration status and registered agent identity through an internal business report before each dispatch on Janssen matters.

Ethicon Inc.

Ethicon Inc. is Johnson & Johnson’s medical device subsidiary, principally known for surgical sutures, mesh products, and energy devices. Its principal New Jersey operations are in Somerset County. Ethicon is a New Jersey-domiciled entity and a separate legal entity from the J&J parent, with its own state registrations and its own registered agent.

Ethicon Inc. maintains a registered agent in New Jersey and may maintain registered agents in additional states. Confirm the current registered agent name and address against the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services business registry and any applicable state registry before dispatch. Do not assume Ethicon’s registered agent address matches the J&J parent’s New Brunswick address — they are separate corporate entities with separate registrations. Undisputed Legal confirms current Ethicon registration status and RA identity through an internal business report before each dispatch on Ethicon matters.

DePuy Synthes

DePuy Synthes is Johnson & Johnson’s orthopedics and medical device platform. It operates through multiple legal entities — “DePuy Synthes” in a complaint may refer to DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., DePuy Synthes, Inc., or another entity in this product family. The specific legal entity named in the summons controls the service target and must be identified before dispatch.

Each DePuy Synthes entity maintains its own registered agent in its state(s) of incorporation and qualification. Confirm the current legal name of the named entity, its state of registration, and its current registered agent name and address against the applicable state business registry before instructing service. Stale addresses from prior DePuy Synthes litigation are particularly unreliable — this product family has undergone restructuring, and addresses that appeared in affidavits from prior cases may no longer reflect current registrations. Undisputed Legal pulls a fresh internal business report for each new DePuy Synthes assignment regardless of prior service history on related entities.

Kenvue Inc.

Kenvue Inc. became an independent publicly traded company in August 2023 following the full separation of Johnson & Johnson’s consumer health division. Kenvue now holds the former J&J consumer brands — Tylenol, Band-Aid, Neutrogena, Aveeno, Johnson’s Baby, and others. It is a standalone corporation with its own corporate structure, its own state registrations, and its own registered agents, entirely separate from Johnson & Johnson.

Kenvue Inc. maintains registered agents in its state(s) of incorporation and in states where it is qualified to do business. Confirm the current registered agent name and address in the applicable jurisdiction against the relevant state business registry before dispatch. Do not route Kenvue matters to J&J addresses — Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue are separate corporate entities as of August 2023 and neither can accept service on behalf of the other. For matters arising from consumer health product conduct: post-August 2023 conduct is Kenvue’s responsibility; pre-separation conduct requires confirmation of which entity held the relevant operations at the relevant time. Undisputed Legal confirms current Kenvue registration status and RA identity through an internal business report before each dispatch on Kenvue matters.

Statutory and Procedural Framework

N.J.S.A. § 14A:4-2 — New Jersey Corporate Service

New Jersey’s Business Corporation Act, N.J.S.A. § 14A:4-2, governs service of process on domestic corporations. Service may be made by delivering a copy of the process to a registered agent, or to any officer or managing or general agent of the corporation at its registered office. For Johnson & Johnson, the registered agent at the principal executive office in New Brunswick is the controlled service point. The statute does not require the registered agent to be a specific named individual — delivery to an authorized agent at the registered address satisfies the statute.

New Jersey Court Rule 4:4-4(a)(6) permits service on a corporation by delivering process to a registered agent, officer, director, or managing or general agent of the corporation. For federal matters in the District of New Jersey, FRCP 4(h)(1)(B) permits service by delivering process to an officer, managing or general agent, or other agent authorized by appointment or law. Both tracks converge on the same operational outcome: delivery to an authorized recipient at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, with a GPS-verified affidavit documenting the service event.

FRCP 4(h)(1) — Federal Corporate Service

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(h)(1) governs service on a corporation within a judicial district of the United States. Under 4(h)(1)(A), service may be made in the manner prescribed by Rule 4(e)(1) for serving an individual — following state law for service in the state where the district court is located or where service is made. Under 4(h)(1)(B), service may be made by delivering process to an officer, managing or general agent, or any other agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process. Both subsections apply to J&J service and reach the same address.

For J&J matters in the District of New Jersey or any federal court applying New Jersey law for service, FRCP 4(h)(1) routes to the registered agent in New Brunswick. For J&J Consumer Inc. matters in Delaware federal court, FRCP 4(h)(1) routes to CT Corp at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington. The controlling statute and current entity registration determine the correct service point. Undisputed Legal identifies the applicable statute for each assignment and confirms the current registered agent address against public records before dispatch.

Scope of Services

Undisputed Legal provides process serving, skip tracing, and court filing services. We do not provide legal advice. The entity verification and routing information on this page reflects public records as of 2026 and is provided for operational guidance to attorneys and legal professionals directing service of process. Registered agent identities and corporate qualification status are subject to change. Confirm current status against live public records before each new matter, regardless of prior service history on the same entity.

Personal Jurisdiction Across Major Venues

Personal jurisdiction determines which courts can hear a case against Johnson & Johnson. From a process server’s standpoint, this matters for one operational reason: service on the parent entity that holds up under challenge must be routed to an address that is defensible in the venue where the matter is filed. Service in the right place but on a contestable jurisdictional theory is still vulnerable to challenge. The analysis below identifies where J&J parent service is jurisdictionally clean, where it is not, and flags the specific exception that Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway, 600 U.S. 122 (2023), created for Pennsylvania-registered entities.

General Jurisdiction After Daimler v. Bauman

In Daimler AG v. Bauman, 571 U.S. 117 (2014), the Supreme Court established that general personal jurisdiction over a corporation — the kind that allows a court to hear any claim against the defendant regardless of where the underlying events occurred — requires the corporation to be “essentially at home” in the forum state. The paradigm cases are the state of incorporation and the state of principal place of business. For Johnson & Johnson, both are New Jersey. A court outside New Jersey cannot assert general jurisdiction over the J&J parent merely because J&J sells products, funds research, or maintains commercial activity in that state.

BNSF Railway Co. v. Tyrrell, 581 U.S. 402 (2017), reaffirmed Daimler’s narrow standard, rejecting the argument that a large volume of in-state activity could substitute for the “essentially at home” requirement. Together, Daimler and BNSF establish that general jurisdiction over the J&J parent is available in New Jersey and nowhere else through the traditional at-home pathway. Every non-home venue must establish jurisdiction through a separate route — specific jurisdiction based on forum-related conduct, or the statutory consent pathway addressed below.

Mallory v. Norfolk Southern and the Consent-by-Registration Pathway

In Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway, 600 U.S. 122 (2023), the Supreme Court held that Pennsylvania’s “consent by registration” statute — which conditions the right to do business in Pennsylvania on consent to general jurisdiction in Pennsylvania courts — is constitutional under the Due Process Clause. This created a second pathway to general jurisdiction that runs parallel to Daimler’s “essentially at home” test and is not limited by it. A corporation that registers to do business in Pennsylvania has, under Pennsylvania’s statute, consented to general jurisdiction there. Daimler does not foreclose this because Daimler addressed implied consent through commercial presence, not explicit statutory consent as a condition of registration.

The operational implication for J&J-family service: the J&J parent is not registered to do business in Pennsylvania, so Mallory’s consent-by-registration holding does not apply to the parent. For Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. — which operates its principal campus in Horsham, Pennsylvania — Mallory may establish general jurisdiction in E.D. Pa. if Janssen currently holds a Pennsylvania business registration. Whether Janssen is currently registered in Pennsylvania, and has therefore consented to PA general jurisdiction under Mallory, should be confirmed against the Pennsylvania Corporation Bureau record before finalizing service routing for any Janssen matter filed in Pennsylvania. This confirmation belongs in the pre-dispatch investigation checklist for every PA-filed Janssen matter.

Venue Table — General Jurisdiction Over the J&J Parent Entity

The table below addresses general jurisdiction over the Johnson & Johnson parent entity only. Subsidiary analysis varies by entity and state of registration and is not reflected here. Specific jurisdiction — claim-specific and contact-dependent — is not addressed in this table.

Venue	General Jurisdiction (J&J Parent)	Basis / Notes
D.N.J.	Yes	Home state — incorporated in NJ, principal place of business in NJ; general jurisdiction uncontested
S.D.N.Y. / E.D.N.Y.	No (post-Daimler)	Parent’s NY authority surrendered 02/21/1984; no home-state connection; commercial presence alone insufficient under Daimler
D. Del.	No	Parent not incorporated in DE and not qualified to do business in DE; neither Daimler at-home nor Mallory consent-by-registration applies
C.D. Cal.	No (post-Daimler)	No home-state connection; nationwide commercial activity insufficient under Daimler and BNSF
E.D. Mo.	No (post-Daimler)	No home-state connection; commercial activity alone insufficient
N.D. Ill.	No (post-Daimler)	No home-state connection; commercial activity alone insufficient
E.D. Pa.	No for J&J parent; confirm Janssen under Mallory	Parent not PA-registered; Mallory does not apply to parent. For Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.: confirm current PA registration against PA Corporation Bureau — if currently registered, Mallory may establish general jurisdiction over Janssen in PA courts

Specific Jurisdiction and Service Mechanics

Specific jurisdiction, rooted in International Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310 (1945), allows a court to hear a claim that arises out of or relates to the defendant’s contacts with the forum state. A J&J product sold in California, a clinical trial conducted in Missouri, or a distribution arrangement executed in Illinois can establish specific jurisdiction over a J&J entity for claims arising from that specific contact. Specific jurisdiction is claim-by-claim and contact-dependent; it does not authorize a court to hear unrelated claims against the same defendant.

The service routing consequence of specific jurisdiction in a non-home venue is frequently misunderstood. Specific jurisdiction means the court can hear this claim. It does not mean the defendant’s registered agent is in that forum state, and it does not override Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(h)(1), which routes service to the registered agent in the state where the entity is registered. A case in C.D. Cal. with specific jurisdiction over J&J for a California product-liability claim still requires service on the J&J parent at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, New Jersey. The filing state and the service address are independent questions answered by different bodies of law. Conflating them produces defective service that the defendant can challenge on return.

The Operationally Defensible Choice

For the Johnson & Johnson parent entity, service at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08933 — on the registered agent at the principal executive office — is defensible in every filing venue without exception. It satisfies N.J.S.A. § 14A:4-2 for New Jersey state court matters, FRCP 4(h)(1)(B) for all federal matters, and the service requirements of any state whose long-arm statute reaches a foreign corporation through its home-state registered agent. No matter where the case is filed, New Jersey service on the parent is clean.

Service attempted in a non-home venue on a general jurisdiction theory that Daimler forecloses carries downstream risk that New Jersey service does not. If the venue is contested and the case is transferred or dismissed, service made in that venue may be challenged. The same risk applies to service based on a Mallory consent-by-registration theory that requires current PA registration — if Janssen’s PA registration status is unconfirmed and Mallory’s pathway is assumed rather than verified, the jurisdictional premise of that service may not hold. Undisputed Legal serves the J&J parent in New Jersey on every assignment and confirms registered entity status before dispatch. When the matter is filed in another venue, the New Jersey affidavit is formatted for filing in that venue’s court.

Pre-Service Investigation Checklist for J&J-Family Matters

Before instructing a process server to dispatch on any Johnson & Johnson-family matter, the nine verification steps below should be completed and documented. This checklist is the paralegal’s pre-dispatch run — not a procedural obligation of the process server. Each item represents a confirmation that eliminates a specific class of service failure before the dispatch order is placed. Work through these in order; items 1 and 2 are gates that determine whether later items are even answerable.

1. Extract the exact legal entity name from the face of the summons. Read the summons itself — not the complaint caption, not a prior case affidavit, not a commercial database entry. “Johnson & Johnson,” “Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.,” and “Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.” are three separate legal entities with three separate service paths. Copy the entity name character-by-character. The entity named on the summons face is the entity that must be served; no substitution is permissible regardless of corporate relationship.
2. Run a current state registry search for the named entity in the expected primary state. For the J&J parent: New Jersey. For Consumer Inc. and Services Inc.: Delaware (confirmed in this page’s verified entity data). For Janssen, Ethicon, DePuy Synthes, and Kenvue: run a live registry search in the state where that entity is expected to be incorporated or qualified. Do not assume the registration is current based on a prior matter — state registrations lapse, transfer, and are amended, and the live registry is the only authoritative source.
3. Pull the current registered agent name and address from the live registry record — not from any secondary source. Prior affidavits, commercial databases, and opposing counsel’s summons attachments all carry the risk of lag. The registered agent name and address in the live state registry record, pulled on the date of dispatch, is the correct source. Document the registry used, the exact URL or access method, and the date of the pull. This record belongs in the pre-dispatch file.
4. Check for active bankruptcy stays affecting the named entity before dispatch. For matters naming Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. or any Consumer Inc.-related entity, confirm whether an active automatic bankruptcy stay is in effect before proceeding. Service during an active stay is generally invalid and subject to challenge. Check the PACER docket for any relevant proceeding and confirm against current MDL 3126 case management orders for Consumer Inc. matters. This step is non-optional on Consumer Inc. assignments regardless of apparent case posture.
5. Confirm Kenvue vs. J&J entity split based on the operative date of the relevant conduct. If the claim involves consumer health products — Tylenol, Band-Aid, Neutrogena, Aveeno, Johnson’s Baby, or other former J&J consumer brands — confirm whether the operative conduct occurred before or after August 2023. Post-separation conduct is Kenvue’s responsibility; the named defendant should be Kenvue, not J&J. Pre-separation conduct requires confirmation of which entity held the relevant operations at the relevant time. A mismatch here means the wrong party was named, not merely wrong service.
6. Note the filing venue and confirm its jurisdictional basis for the named entity. For the J&J parent: D.N.J. has uncontested general jurisdiction; all other venues require either specific jurisdiction based on forum-related conduct or a Mallory consent-by-registration basis. For Janssen in E.D. Pa.: confirm whether Janssen currently holds a Pennsylvania business registration, which would trigger the Mallory consent-by-registration pathway to general jurisdiction. Document the jurisdictional basis in the pre-dispatch file before routing service instructions.
7. Match the applicable service statute to the named entity and filing court. J&J parent in New Jersey Superior Court: N.J.S.A. § 14A:4-2. Any entity in federal court: FRCP 4(h)(1). Consumer Inc. or Services Inc. in Delaware: Delaware’s registered-agent service provisions. Janssen in Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure for service on a registered foreign corporation. The statute determines the permissible service method and the authorized recipient category — confirm before the dispatch order specifies service method.
8. Re-verify the registered agent address immediately before dispatch if more than 30 days have elapsed since the Item 3 pull. RA addresses change without advance public notice. A registry pull from initial case intake may be stale by the time the dispatch order is placed. If the gap between the initial pull and the dispatch date exceeds 30 days, run a fresh registry search. Date-stamp every pull and use the most recent one as the dispatch address. Do not use an address from a prior affidavit as a substitute for a current registry pull.
9. Confirm GPS-verified affidavit documentation before placing the dispatch order. GPS-verified means device coordinates and a device timestamp recorded at the moment of the service attempt — not a reconstructed estimate and not a single GPS record for a batch of attempts. Verify that this documentation standard will be met before dispatch, not after a failed return raises documentation questions. Undisputed Legal provides GPS-verified affidavits as a baseline standard on all corporate assignments; the GPS record is included in the affidavit package delivered within 24 hours of completed service.

Service Type	Rate	Description
Same-Day / Rush	$100–$150	Attempt within 24 hours of order receipt; priority dispatch to registered agent address; confirmation call before dispatch
Standard	$200–$250	First attempt within 3-7 business days; GPS-verified affidavit of service; standard corporate service with entity pre-confirmation
Stake-Out	$250–$300	Extended surveillance service for locations where initial attempts have failed; rate of $100–$150 per additional hour after the first two hours; GPS log of all attempts provided
Due Diligence	$325–$425	Multi-attempt service package with skip trace, address verification, internal business report pull, and full affidavit package formatted for court filing
Court Filing Fee	$75	Per-document filing fee for New Jersey and New York court filings accompanying completed affidavits of service

Undisputed Legal offers a 50% discount on service fees for active-duty military personnel, veterans, and qualifying nonprofit organizations. Contact our office before placing an order to verify eligibility. Discount applies to the base service fee and does not apply to filing fees or skip trace charges.

For multi-jurisdiction J&J matters requiring service on the parent in New Jersey, a subsidiary in Delaware, and a related entity in New York, Undisputed Legal handles all three assignments under a single order with a unified affidavit package. Coordinating three separate process servers across three states introduces scheduling risk, documentation inconsistency, and coordination overhead that a single-vendor approach eliminates. Our flat-rate pricing applies to each jurisdiction; contact our office for multi-jurisdiction bundle pricing on matters with three or more assignments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the registered agent for Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey?

Johnson & Johnson maintains a registered agent at its principal executive office at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08933. The specific individual serving as registered agent is subject to change and is not published on this page due to rotation risk. The address is the controlling service point under N.J.S.A. § 14A:4-2. Undisputed Legal confirms current registered agent identity through an internal business report before each dispatch to ensure the correct person is identified in the affidavit.

Can Johnson & Johnson be served in New York?

The Johnson & Johnson parent entity cannot be served in New York through normal channels. J&J surrendered its New York authority on February 21, 1984 (NY DOS ID 1088 — INACTIVE). CT Corp at 1633 Broadway has no authority to accept service for the parent as of that date. J&J subsidiaries that maintain current New York qualification can be served through their New York registered agents, but the parent must be served in New Jersey. Attempting to serve the parent through 1633 Broadway will produce a defective return that the defendant can challenge.

How do I serve Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.?

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (DE file 6013522) uses CT Corp System at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 as its registered agent in Delaware. It is a separate legal entity from the J&J parent. Confirm the exact entity named in your summons before dispatch — serving the parent when Consumer Inc. is named, or vice versa, creates a service defect that the defendant can use to delay the matter. Undisputed Legal confirms the correct entity against current public records and does not dispatch until that confirmation is complete.

What happens if J&J is served at the wrong address?

Service at a defunct or unauthorized address — such as CT Corp at 1633 Broadway for the parent entity — is subject to motion practice challenging the validity of service. The defendant may move to quash or vacate the return, and re-service at the correct address may be required. Depending on the timing of the challenge relative to applicable deadlines, there may be implications for scheduling and case management. Undisputed Legal verifies the address and entity status before dispatch on every corporate assignment to avoid this outcome.

How long does service on Johnson & Johnson take?

For standard service orders, Undisputed Legal makes the first attempt within 3-7 business days of order placement. Rush service is available for matters requiring same-day or next-day dispatch. Service on the registered agent at a corporate principal office is typically completed on the first attempt when the address and entity are confirmed in advance — our pre-dispatch verification protocol is designed to eliminate the most common causes of first-attempt failure before the server is assigned. Affidavits are delivered within 24 hours of completed service.

Does Undisputed Legal serve J&J subsidiaries in multiple states?

Yes. Undisputed Legal is licensed in all 50 states and serves corporations, subsidiaries, and registered agents across jurisdictions. For J&J-family matters requiring service in New Jersey, New York, and Delaware on different named entities in the same litigation, we handle all three jurisdictions under a single order with a unified affidavit package. Contact our office to discuss multi-jurisdiction service coordination and to confirm current entity status and routing for each named defendant before placing the order.

What documentation does Undisputed Legal provide after service?

Our standard documentation package includes a GPS-verified affidavit of service reflecting the date, time, GPS coordinates, and server identification for each attempt; a copy of the documents served; and a server certification. For federal court filing, our affidavit satisfies FRCP 4(l) proof-of-service requirements. For New Jersey Superior Court, our format satisfies NJ Court Rule 4:4-7. Affidavits are provided within 24 hours of completed service and are formatted for immediate filing without amendment or supplementation.

Does Daimler v. Bauman affect how I should direct service on J&J?

For process-serving purposes, Daimler AG v. Bauman, 571 U.S. 117 (2014), affects where service on the J&J parent is jurisdictionally defensible — New Jersey, always. If a case is in a non-home venue on a general jurisdiction theory that Daimler forecloses, service made there may be challenged if the venue is contested or transferred. New Jersey service on the parent is the operationally safe choice in every forum. Service routed to the J&J parent at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza is defensible regardless of where the case is filed.

What is the difference between Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue?

Johnson & Johnson completed the consumer health spin-off as Kenvue Inc. in August 2023. Tylenol, Band-Aid, Neutrogena, and Aveeno are now Kenvue brands. Matters from conduct after August 2023 should name Kenvue, not J&J. Pre-separation conduct requires confirming which entity held the relevant operations at the operative time. Serving J&J for a post-separation Kenvue claim names the wrong party — not merely the wrong address — and a motion to dismiss on that basis is straightforward for defense.

My case names DePuy Synthes — is that still a J&J entity?

As of 2026, DePuy Synthes remains within the Johnson & Johnson corporate family. It is not a standalone public company. “DePuy Synthes” in a complaint may refer to DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., DePuy Synthes, Inc., or another entity in this product family — each with its own registration and registered agent. Confirm the exact named entity, its current state registration, and its current registered agent address before dispatch. Do not route DePuy matters to the J&J parent’s New Brunswick address.

How do I serve Johnson & Johnson via long-arm statute when my case is in another state?

For the J&J parent, long-arm substituted service is generally unnecessary — direct service at One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, is always available as the confirmed principal executive office address. For J&J subsidiaries not registered in the filing state, the applicable long-arm statute may permit service through the state Secretary of State on a foreign corporation with minimum contacts in the forum. Confirm the applicable procedure for each entity in the filing state before placing the order.

Serve Johnson & Johnson Through Undisputed Legal

Undisputed Legal is the gatekeeper of litigation when it comes to serving large corporate defendants like Johnson & Johnson. Getting service right on the first attempt — through the correct entity, at the correct address, with GPS-verified documentation — determines whether the matter moves forward or stalls on a motion to quash. Our pre-dispatch entity verification protocol is the operational layer between your filing and a clean return of service, and it is built into every order we accept.

To serve Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey, call (800) 774-6922 or (201) 630-0114. We confirm entity routing, dispatch a licensed server, and deliver GPS-verified affidavit documentation on every assignment.

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