Category: lawsuits

It can be said that we live in a very “sue happy” society. It’s remarkably easy to engage in litigation against someone—it’s the American way!

But suppose you have a case (or think you do). You still need someone to serve the defendant the papers (it’s highly advised you don’t do that yourself, of course).

This is where process servers come in. They meet all sorts of people from all walks of life, as you can imagine.

They were keen to share their stories after Redditor CharlotteLucasOP asked the online community,

“Process servers, what’s the most bizarre way in which you’ve served someone?”

“When I got a divorce…”

“When I got a divorce, my lawyer recommended I hire a process server just in case my ex tried to dodge/deny service. She knew I was filing so it wasn’t like it would be a surprise, but better safe than sorry.”

“One problem: This was during a Covid lockdown, so neither of us was leaving home. The process server comes, I let him into the building, he follows me to the apartment but then says he can’t follow me into the apartment to serve her.”

“So I have to shut the door on him then wait for him to knock so that my ex can answer the door. Probably the most awkward five minutes of my life.” ~ gloveonafoot

“One guy really hated this other lady…”

“One guy really hated this other lady he was suing, and she kept avoiding the server so he paid me $300 to serve her on Christmas. He knew for sure she was home because she was having a party there in an hour.”

“He wrapped it up in this huge present. So I showed up at her door, and yelled ‘Christmas delivery!’ She thought it was some great present, and had this huge smile.”

“Once she opened the door, I told her she had been served, and it was like she got hit by a brick wall. She just silently took the giant present and walked back in her house with it.” ~ Selbereth

“I worked as a process server…”

“I worked as a process server for a couple of years during/after college. It was through a private investigation agency so it was a little more intense than the typical process server.”

“Anyways… one time I was hired to serve a stripper, and since we couldn’t find a valid address for her the PI had me go into her work and serve her there.”

“I didn’t want to cause a scene and get jumped by the bouncers so I purchased a private dance from her then served her in the back room. I even got reimbursed for the cost of the dance when I collected the paperwork.”

“All in all, it was a memorable experience!” ~ ggb123456

“When my mother was a Family Law attorney…”

“When my mother was a Family Law attorney and I was in college, I used to do some process serving for her.”

“She’d never give any that she felt would be dangerous, but In hindsight is probably another poor decision by my mother, and by me who just needed the money. It’s ridiculously easy to get an about-to-be divorced man to open his door to an 18-year-old girl.”

“I once made an appointment and got my nails done. Paid and gave a tip, and the papers to the same tech. She was pissed.” ~ coyotecantspell

“I am a paralegal.”

“I am a paralegal. I once had a client who was in her 70s and her husband had her served with divorce papers while she was recovering in the hospital from surgery. Brutal.” ~ BlackWidowww

“I watched my Little League coach…”

“I watched my little league coach get served by a guy selling hotdogs. He owed like $75,000 for destroying a garage he didn’t own behind his property.” ~ suitology

“They asked me to…”

“Many years ago I interned at a law firm when I was on summer break from college. They asked me to serve papers on occasion while I interned there.”

“Once I was sent to a nursing home to serve papers to one of the elderly patients. He seemed so pleasantly surprised to see me, to have a visitor. He looked so excited and curious.”

“Then I explained that I had some papers to serve him, and the expression on his face went from excitement to sadness in like two seconds. It was depressing.” ~ Kevbo_Kev

“The job could easily get to you…”

“I had the pleasure of serving some of my county’s finest for the better part of 3 years. The job could easily get to you if you let it. Got a bunch of stories though.”

“Mostly sad ones but there are some funny ones in there too. The craziest reaction, however, goes to Mr. Belisle. I believe I am missing an accent in there.”

“Long story short-ish, he has the papers, I start walking away, 20 steps, 30 steps, he yells after me, I turn…. he is pooping on his papers. This man was between 45-55 years of age, with quite a distinguished look. So weird to see him crapping in the street.” ~ CanuckPhuck

“Someone she was trying to serve…”

“My mother is a lawyer. Someone she was trying to serve wouldn’t acknowledge who they were to a process server nor would they touch the summons.”

“Took a few weeks before they finally could serve them. It’s quite funny how much legal procedure gets held up by the inability of a server to serve someone a document.” ~ WayPastInfatuation

“I spent years…”

“I spent years as a process server in Los Angeles. One time I served Rob Zombie in a dispute over a catering bill for a video shoot. He went bonkers.”

“Another time I served divorce papers on an 18th Street shot caller. I found him in a bar at Pico and Bonnie Brae. He cried like a baby and wanted to buy me a drink.”

“Another was a witness in a murder trial who was living in a homeless camp in Long Beach. I was surrounded by hardcore hostile homeless folks. I’m not sure how I got out of that in one piece.” ~ Babelaze

It’s hard out there for your friendly neighborhood process servers!

Something to remember—a process server is not your enemy.

Their presence implies nothing whatsoever about your moral character or legal standing. All they’re there to do is confirm your identity and deliver paperwork.

Wouldn’t you want to have adequate notice that you are party to a legal proceeding? You need time to plan and show up to participate.

It’s a good service process servers perform, though there’s no doubt they run into weirdos out there like the rest of us.