“Serving Sara” Movie Clip

When I suspect that a respondent may be evasive, I obtain a current photo and/or at least a physical description of the person to be served.  One of the best sources for this information is from the plaintiff.  However, there are many alternate sources for a person’s ID.  After viewing this brief movie clip, you can see what the results can be without this info.

 

In this video, the process server entered the defendant’s apartment.  In all circumstances,a server should never enter the private quarters of the defendant’s residence.  I can’t over emphasize this.  Whether the home is occupied or not…even if the one of the occupants invite you in.  This is a big no no.  Upon entering a residence of an irate respondent, a process server could easily be subjected to trespassing charges, false charges of an assault and/or physical assault by one or more of the occupants.

 

It was not necessary for Sara to leave her apartment, since she already knew the process server was coming.  In order to avoid the server, she could choose to simply refuse to answer the door.  Sara would have probably answered the door to her apartment, if she had not been for warned.  The element of surprise would have been on the side of the server.  At that brief moment, the serving of process would have been a done deal.