FAQs
Home » FAQs
Process Serving FAQs
Get straight answers to common questions about hiring a process server in San Jose and Santa Clara County, service attempts, pricing, difficult addresses, family-law service, proofs of service, skip tracing, court support and ordering with Get Em Served.
Get Em Served provides professional process serving throughout San Jose and Santa Clara County with Routine, Priority, Urgent and On-Demand service options.
Civil process serving currently begins at $150 and standard service options generally include up to three attempts for one recipient at one authorized service address unless otherwise stated.
Successful service can never be guaranteed.
Getting Started
What is service of process?
Service of process is the formal delivery of court papers or other legal documents to a person or entity in a manner required or permitted for the matter. California Courts describes service as the process used to give the other side notice of court papers.
Get Em Served performs professional service assignments based on the documents, address, deadline and instructions supplied by the client.
Who can serve court papers in California?
California Courts generally states that a server must be at least 18 years old and cannot be a party to the case. A professional process server is one available option.
Requirements can depend on the documents and type of matter, so clients should confirm applicable court rules or consult a qualified attorney when necessary.
Why hire a professional process server?
A professional process server provides structured assignment handling, field attempts, documentation and completion records. Local process serving can also make repeat attempts and scheduling changes easier when a recipient is not available during an initial visit.
What kinds of documents does Get Em Served handle?
Assignments may include summons and complaints, subpoenas, small claims documents, family-law papers, divorce and custody documents, unlawful-detainer papers, orders for examination, notices and other appropriate civil or court documents.
If you are unsure whether Get Em Served can handle a particular document, contact us with the document type, service location and deadline.
How do I start a process service order?
Submit the legal documents, recipient information, best known service address, deadline and relevant instructions through the Get Em Served online order form.
Get Em Served may request clarification, additional documents or payment before an assignment is accepted and dispatched.
Start an Online Process Service Order
What information should I give the process server?
Provide as much useful information as you lawfully have. Helpful information may include:
- Full recipient name
- Best current service address
- Apartment or unit number
- Current photograph or physical description
- Known work schedule or likely times home
- Vehicle information when relevant
- Hearing date
- Service deadline
- Gate or access information
- Known safety concerns
Pricing and Service Attempts
How much does a process server cost in San Jose?
Current Get Em Served civil process-serving rates are $150 for Routine service, $200 for Priority, $250 for Urgent and $300 for On-Demand service.
Family-law process serving uses a separate pricing schedule beginning at $250.
View Complete Process Server Pricing
How many service attempts are included?
Unless your invoice, written quote or service-specific terms state otherwise, standard process-serving options generally include up to three attempts for one recipient at one authorized service address.
How quickly is the first service attempt made?
Routine service is handled within its normal service cycle. Priority service generally targets a first attempt within 48 hours, Urgent within 24 hours and On-Demand within five business hours.
These are intended scheduling windows and do not guarantee successful service.
Does one service fee cover multiple people or addresses?
No, unless specifically stated otherwise. Standard pricing generally applies to one person or entity at one authorized service address.
Additional recipients, addresses, workplaces or replacement locations may require additional fees.
What happens if I give you a second address?
A second or replacement address is generally outside the scope of the original one-address service fee. Get Em Served will advise the client when additional authorization or payment is required.
Can I purchase more service attempts?
Additional attempts may be available after the included service cycle. Where applicable, additional attempts may be offered at 50% of the original service rate.
Availability and pricing can depend on the circumstances of the assignment.
Service and Results
Do you guarantee successful service?
No. No process server can guarantee that a recipient will ultimately be successfully served.
A person may have moved, be unavailable, keep irregular hours, reside behind restricted access or otherwise be unavailable for reasons outside the process server's control.
Service fees compensate Get Em Served for professional work performed, including assignment handling, travel, attempts and documentation.
Where can someone be served?
Depending on the assignment, an appropriate service location may include a residence, workplace, business, office or another lawful location where the intended recipient can be served.
Access restrictions and the legally permitted method of service can affect the assignment.
Can you serve someone at work or at a business?
Yes, when the workplace or business is an appropriate service location. Business hours, security policies, restricted areas and employer access rules may affect attempts.
Can you serve at an apartment building or gated community?
Get Em Served accepts assignments involving apartment communities, condominiums and gated properties. Property access is not guaranteed, and security, gate or management restrictions can affect how and when attempts are made.
What is a proof of service?
A proof of service is a court form or declaration documenting information about completed service, including how, when and where the papers were served.
When applicable to the assignment, Get Em Served prepares the appropriate service record after completion.
Do you file the proof of service with the court?
Not automatically. Court filing of a proof of service is separate unless filing is specifically included in the service purchased, stated on the invoice or separately requested and confirmed.
Do you provide GPS or photographic documentation?
Where available and appropriate, Get Em Served may use GPS records, photographs, timestamps, field notes or other technology to document service activity.
GPS and photographic documentation are not guaranteed for every assignment.
What is substituted service?
Substituted service is an alternative service method that may be permitted in certain circumstances after specific legal requirements are satisfied.
The rules depend on the case type and circumstances. Get Em Served does not provide legal advice or determine for a client which service method is legally permitted.
Difficult and Evasive Service
What if the recipient may have moved?
If the address appears outdated or the recipient may have relocated, separate skip-tracing or address-location research may be available.
A possible address is an investigative lead and does not guarantee current residence or successful service.
How much is skip tracing?
Get Em Served currently lists skip tracing and address-location research at $100 per person.
When available, results may include address history and a likely current residence. Results are not guaranteed.
Can you handle someone who may be avoiding service?
Get Em Served can review assignments involving difficult or potentially evasive recipients.
These matters may require additional attempts, different timing, alternate addresses, waiting or other work outside the standard service package. Successful service still cannot be guaranteed.
The Sheriff already tried and could not serve them. Can you still try?
Yes. Get Em Served can review an assignment after unsuccessful Sheriff or previous process-server attempts.
Prior attempt information, a current photograph, known schedule, vehicle information and updated address information can help us evaluate the assignment.
What if there are safety concerns?
Tell Get Em Served before ordering if there is a known history of violence, threats, weapons, aggressive animals or another material safety concern.
Get Em Served may delay, refuse, suspend or terminate an assignment when performing it would create an unreasonable safety risk.
Family Law Process Serving
Do you serve family-law documents?
Yes. Get Em Served accepts appropriate family-law process-serving assignments, including divorce, custody, support and other family-related court documents.
Why is family-law process serving priced separately?
Family-law assignments can involve different scheduling, service requirements, safety considerations and case circumstances.
Get Em Served maintains a separate family-law pricing schedule beginning at $250 for Routine service.
Do you serve restraining-order documents?
Get Em Served may accept appropriate restraining-order-related documents depending on the assignment, deadline and safety circumstances.
Known safety concerns must be disclosed before service begins.
Can you tell me which family-law papers I need to serve?
No. Get Em Served is not a law firm and does not determine which documents must be served, which service method is legally required or the applicable deadline.
Use court instructions, court self-help resources or a qualified attorney for legal guidance.
Court and Legal Support Services
Do you provide Santa Clara County court filing services?
Yes. Get Em Served offers physical court filing and related court-run services for supported Santa Clara County locations.
Current court filing service prices begin at $70 depending on the courthouse and service speed.
Do you retrieve court documents?
Yes. Court document retrieval is available from supported Santa Clara County court locations.
Standard retrieval currently begins at $95 and Rush retrieval at $135. Court, certification or third-party fees may be additional.
Do you provide courtesy-copy delivery?
Courtesy-copy delivery is available for certain assignments. Current pricing is $45 when combined with a filing and $40 for standalone courtesy-copy delivery.
Do you offer waiting or stakeout services?
Extended waiting, observation or stakeout-type assignments may be available when appropriate and are currently billed at $80 per hour.
Scope and availability should be confirmed before ordering.
Payments, Cancellations and Service Policies
Is payment required before service begins?
Yes, unless Get Em Served has approved separate billing arrangements in writing. Payment is generally required before an assignment is dispatched.
What payment methods do you accept?
Get Em Served accepts approved electronic payment methods, invoices, credit or debit cards and other payment methods made available for the order.
Checks may be accepted, but an order may remain on hold until the check clears.
Can I cancel an order after paying?
Contact Get Em Served as soon as possible if you need to cancel. Cancellation does not automatically create a right to a refund.
Once administrative work, document review, dispatch, travel, investigation, a service attempt or other performance has begun, charges attributable to work already performed may be non-refundable.
Do I receive a refund if the person is not served?
No refund is owed solely because service was unsuccessful. Process-serving fees compensate Get Em Served for professional work performed and are not contingent on the recipient ultimately being served unless Get Em Served expressly agrees otherwise in writing.
Do attorneys or law firms receive special pricing?
Attorneys and law firms with recurring assignments may contact Get Em Served regarding available account, volume or professional billing arrangements.
How is information from my assignment handled?
Get Em Served uses assignment information to review and perform requested services, communicate with clients, document work, process payments and maintain appropriate business records.
More information is available in the Get Em Served Privacy Policy .
Does Get Em Served provide legal advice?
No. Get Em Served is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or representation.
Clients are responsible for determining which documents must be served, the legally permitted service method and applicable deadlines, or for obtaining guidance from a qualified attorney or court self-help resource.
California Service of Process Basics
The server is separate from the case
California Courts generally states that the person serving court papers must be at least 18 years old and cannot be a party to the case.
The correct service method depends on the matter
Different documents and case types can have different service requirements. Clients should confirm the legally permitted method for their specific situation.
Proof documents what happened
When service is completed, the server generally prepares the applicable proof or declaration describing how, when and where service occurred.
This FAQ provides general information about Get Em Served's services and process serving. It does not constitute legal advice.
Still Have a Process Serving Question?
Send Get Em Served the document type, service city, deadline and any unusual address, access or safety circumstances.
For legal questions about required methods of service or deadlines, consult the court or a qualified attorney.
Phone: (856) 416-6311
Email: inquire@getemserved.com