By: Akanksha A. Panicker
Service of process is the manner by which a party to a case presents an effective notice of preliminary legal action to another party (such as the defendant), a court or an administrative entity in an attempt to exert control over that person. This is designed to facilitate that party to respond to the proceedings before a court, body or other tribunal and bring them under the personal jurisdiction of that body.
Notice is given by the issuance of a set of court documents (process) to the individual. A court has personal jurisdiction when it has the power to come to a decision concerning the party being sued in a case. Before a court can exercise power over a party, the U.S. Constitution requires that the party has certain minimum contacts with the forum in which the court sits.
