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OKC Private Investigations & Process Server in Oklahoma

Process Server in Piedmont, Oklahoma FAQs

Ever wonder what a process server in Piedmont, OK at a private investigation agency is and does? Have you seen exciting televised process server shows/movies and think it might be a profession you wish to enter?  If so, then you are hardly alone. Many people around the world have wondered what they do and why, and Vivien Keefe and Dr. Makayla Saramosing have put together a nice list of process server FAQs to help answer some of the most common questions people have.

The Piedmont, Oklahoma Process Server FAQs that the process servers at our private investigation agency in Piedmont, Oklahoma have put together are as follows:

What is a process server at a private detective agency in Piedmont?

They are individuals whom the State of Oklahoma has licensed to serve court papers and other legal documents to companies, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and individuals. Think of them kind of like mail carriers for the United States Postal Service (USPS).

The USPS also serves court and other legal documents via certified mailing, so they have a lot in common with them.

What kinds of people become process servers?

Individuals who like adventure, quick cash, excitement and who are very self-driven and hardworking tend to gravitate toward becoming ones. These persons are most often self-motivated, very driven, and independent in that they do not want or need lots of other people looking over their shoulders and breathing down their necks.

Some only do it as a part-time gig, while others make it their profession and might even simultaneously pursue working as private detectives. Indeed, private investigations and process serving in Piedmont, Oklahoma can have several similarities in the types of work required.

What are the most common documents that process servers deliver to other people?

Some of the most common types of court papers and other legal documents that they might serve are as follows:

  1. Summonses and Petitions
  2. Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs)
  3. Small Claims Affidavits and Orders
  4. Subpoenas
  5. Notices to Pay or Quit
  6. Indirect Contempt Citations
  7. Victim Protection Orders (VPOs)
  8. Hearings on Assets
  9. Demand Letters
  10. Petitions and Summonses for Forcible Entry and Detainer
  11. Notices of Termination/Non-Renewal

What types of legal documents always require personal service?

Some types of documents always require personal service. This means that a process server or a sheriff’s deputy must personally hand the legal documents directly to the defendant/respondent.

Alternatively, if the petitioner/plaintiff sends the documents to the defendant/respondent by certified mailing via the United States Postal Service (U.S.P.S) and the defendant/respondent signs for the documents, that also counts as personal service.

The following types of court documents require personal service only:

  • Subpoenas
  • Victim Protection Orders (VPOs)
  • Hearings on Assets
  • Indirect Contempt Citations
  • All Papers From States Like Texas, Etc.

They must take great care to avoid accidentally sub-serving or posting a document, because it will inadvertently make the service of process invalid and could potentially jeopardize the entire case.

Who are typical clients that they typically assist?

They typically have the following five (5) types of process serving clients in Oklahoma:

  • Individuals
  • Businesses
  • Governmental Agencies
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Attorneys/Law Firms (Yes, Also Technically Businesses)

If you ever find yourself in need of assistance from one, then please contact a process server at our private investigation agency today for more assistance. 

How much does it cost to hire process servers?

The cost to hire them varies based upon several factors. These cost factor differentials are as follow:

Speed of Service:

Some clients need them to attempt to complete service of process the same day, while others just need “routine” service that is not as urgent.

The City’s Location:

The location of the city also plays a factor in determining the cost. Larger, more populated cities tend to have quite a few more agents who can assist with this. Thus, it costs less to hire one because there are smaller fuel and other maintenance costs and time that go into process serving in larger cities.

Likewise, smaller cities and towns often have few, if any, might have to drive a much further distance and spend more fuel, time, etc., to make multiple trips to and from the location.

The Number of Pages to Print Out:

Some clients send only one page for them to print out, while others physically mail the entire set of documents to us or even bring them by our office. Thus, the costs of printing are minimal or even nil.

Other clients e-mail in large packages, sometimes totaling well over one thousand (1,000) pages, to our office to print out. Documents that large in number cost more to print out, not to mention resources of time and organization. Thus, they add on a nominal fee to help cover the toner/ink, paper, printer repairs, and time involved.

Whether or Not the Client Has a Valid Address:

Most of our clients have an address they believe is valid and wish our specialists to try. Others, however, have no address and thus require nationwide skip tracing to help find a better address, before they make the first attempt on service of process.

Court Filings:

Some clients need a professional to file in documents at the court clerk’s office, prior to serving them. These filings sometimes require fees. They charge extra premiums to file these documents in on our clients’ behalf and to front the associated filing fees, if any.

Witness Fees:

Subpoenas almost always require a witness fee to go along with them, and they are more than happy to attach a witness fee check from our private detective agency along with those court papers or other legal documents. Each passes on these extra witness fee costs on to the clients.

What does it mean to “domesticate” a foreign subpoena from another state?

Domestication of a state subpoena from another state basically describes the term used to bring copies of the subpoena into the county court clerk where the official is about to serve the document, so the court clerk can first file it and stamp it with their special seal. This action by the court clerk authorizes the issuance of the subpoena itself and makes it valid and legal.

Not all attorneys and other clients request them to domesticate foreign subpoenas prior to having one serve them. The same holds true for witness fees because not all clients have one to attach a witness fee to their subpoenas to cover time/travel costs/document production. However, the domestication of state subpoenas and the inclusion of witness fees are technically the legal but sometimes ignored route.

Do the courts require process servers to attach witness fees when serving subpoenas?

When it comes to subpoenas for deposition, courts generally require a witness fee of approximately fourty dollars ($40.00) plus mileage of approximately fifty-nine cents ($0.59) per mile as a witness fee and reimbursement for witnesses who must travel from their home to a courthouse for courtroom testimony and depositions. Judges do not typically require witness and mileage fees, when the courtroom testimony or deposition will take place remotely via Zoom, etc., because there is no travel involved.

For subpoenas duces tecum, the person, business, governmental agency, or nonprofit organization receiving the subpoena must provide a certain amount of documents, items, etc., as stated on the subpoena. Typically, some sort of nominal witness fee is required for the printing and production of these legal documents for the court to examine and properly review.

What is the difference between a subpoena duces tecum and a subpoena for deposition?

A subpoena duces tecum is a form of subpoena used to produce documents by a company, governmental agency, individual, or non-profit organization. A subpoena for deposition is one whereby the court commands an individual to appear either in the courtroom or either in-person or via Zoom, etc., for a deposition to testify about a particular matter.

Is working as a process server a dangerous profession to be in?

Yes, it is an extremely dangerous profession that comes with high rates of physical and verbal assault, attempted murder, and even murder. This holds true not only for every process server, but also for sheriffs’ deputies.

Few, if any, defendants/respondents appreciate it when they come to serve them with bad news/court documents. They think that if they can somehow make them disappear that all their problems will magically vanish, but that simply is not the case.

Most of the time, service of process goes off without a hitch. Most people an expert tries to serve are non-violent and accept the court documents without issue. The bad things only happen once every so often, but they should prepare themselves with dash cameras/bodycams, pepper gel, etc., for defense purposes.

Do people ever try to harm or murder process servers?

Yes, as noted above, employment as one is an extremely dangerous field on some occasions. Most of the time he/she will not experience any major issues or problems.

What happens if I lie to a process server?

If defendants/respondents lie to them, they will immediately go to Hell right after the gods and goddesses have descended to arrest you. Lol, well, no, not really. They likely will not believe you and will probably end up serving you anyway. Deal with it. 

Am I allowed to refuse to accept paperwork that a process server in Piedmont, OK has tried to serve me with?

Um, yeah, sure. Respondents and defendants can always “refuse” to accept service from them all they want. However, this tactic does not change the fact that they HAVE JUST SERVED THEM!!! 

What are the different types of service of process?

These different types are as follows:

Personal Service:

This type of service is when an official physically hands the legal documents to the respondent/defendant in person. This also includes instances where a plaintiff/petitioner mails out the court documents to the defendant/respondent via certified mailing with a return receipt, and the defendant/respondent personally signs for the documents. Courts consider this type of service to be the best and most effective.

Sub-service:

This type of service is when he/she delivers the court documents to someone at a residence who lives there with the defendant/respondent and is at least fifteen-and-a-half years old.

Not all states allow for substitute service, and some only do so under certain circumstances and/or for a limited number of document types. Substitute service is not allowed upon an individual who is a defendant/respondent at a business under any circumstances. States like California require that they also mail out the court documents via regular U.S. Mail whenever completing service via substitute service on or after the third (3rd) attempt at securing personal service of process.

Posting/Nail and Mail:

This method is most often done when a process server or sheriff’s deputy is serving eviction papers and the client is seeking possession only and no money. Even then, they must still mail out the documents via certified mailing with a return receipt via the U.S.P.S. Other allowable instances include times when a judge specifically orders the posting of legal documents to the door.

Service by Publication:

Considered the least effective method that typically takes the longest to complete, this is essentially a “method of last resort” in the process-serving world. A judge must usually authorize service via publication after the plaintiff/petitioner has exhausted every other possible avenue. Before allowing it, a judge will want to see a detailed list of efforts that a petitioner/plaintiff has made to try to obtain good service. Some documents are ineligible for this, and it is possible that some states may prohibit it altogether.

How do I report process servers for violating the law?

Just stop. Do not be a dick. Just accept the court documents they served upon you and kindly move on with your life.

Do process servers collaborate with police officers?

Eh, police officers mostly just get in the way and interfere with the work that they try to complete, so most of the private detectives and private process servers at our private investigation agency tend to avoid them.

What hours and days are a process server legally allowed to work?

The State of Oklahoma permits them to serve court papers and other legal documents twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. Most typically do it from about 5:00 am to about 10:00 pm or so, which is when most people are at home and awake.

Some states place restrictions upon them in terms of which days of the week they can serve or what holidays they may not serve anyone on. Texas does not allow for service of process on a Sunday, so those who are serving Texas court papers must take great care not to serve anyone on Sundays.

How much money do process servers make?

They can make a decent amount of money if she/he/they is/are highly motivated, dedicated, persistent, honest, a great communicator, etc. All have opportunities for advancement, and if qualified as private investigators, polygraph examiners, mobile notaries, bodyguards, etc., then they can work in multiple positions with our private investigation agency in Piedmont, Oklahoma, and can make even more money. 

How many attempts on service do they make?

Each agent makes up to four (4) attempts on service to one (1) defendant at one address for each standard fee in larger, more populated areas. In very remote locations with no one nearby, the number of attempts each will make may vary.

If the process server is unable to get good service upon the defendant/respondent, do I get my money back?

They must pay for their fuel, car insurance, air filters, tires, vehicle repairs, taxes, and more for every service they do. Thus, no, there are no refunds, and all clients must pay them beginning from the time they print out the documents and begin to make their first attempt. No exceptions.

What is nationwide skip tracing, and do process servers conduct skip tracing?

Nationwide skip tracing is where our process servers and private investigators in Piedmont at our private investigation agency in Piedmont, Oklahoma can go through their databases with information provided and can find items like social security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, a driver’s license number, and so much more. This information is not always available to the public, and they must carry special licenses to obtain it.

How does a person become a process server at a private detective agency in Piedmont?

To become one, each applicant must first ensure that she/he/they meet(s) each of the following requirements:

  • All must be at least eighteen (18) years old.
  • Every applicant must be a U.S. Citizen or at least legally authorized to work in the United States of America.
  • Every applicant must be a resident of the State of Oklahoma.
  • He/ She/ They must not have any felony charges or convictions, nor violent/especially bad misdemeanor charges/convictions.

In addition to having to meet the requirements above, they must subsequently complete the following steps:

  • A person must obtain a five thousand dollar ($5,000) Oklahoma process server bond from an insurance agency like Sherman-Hume.
  • All must also obtain two (2) passport-sized photographs to go onto their process server license in Oklahoma. Places like Walgreens, CVS, and FedEx Office all offer these passport photo services. 

Once completing the first step of filing the license as noted above, every applicant should work quickly to complete steps 1-3 prior to the court date set for the judge to approve or deny the applicant’s process server license.

What forms of payment do you accept for work done by them?

Each specialist gladly accepts the following forms of payments:

  • Cash
  • Personal Checks
  • Business Checks
  • Cashier’s Checks
  • Money Orders
  • Zelle
  • Venmo
  • Cash App
  • Square
  • PayPal
  • Debit/Credit Cards

They do not accept payment plans or partial payments.

How large is your private detective agency and process serving company in Piedmont, OK?

Dr. Makayla Saramosing and Vivien Keefe are the proud owners of the largest Oklahoma-owned process serving company and private investigation agency in Oklahoma. It has largest number of process servers and private investigators.

Does your process serving company and private investigation agency have any special designations?

Yes, Vivien Keefe and Dr. Makayla Saramosing’s private detective agency is a minority-owned business, a women-owned business, and an LGBTQIA+-owned business.

Does your private detective agency have any job openings for process servers?

Yes, Vivien Keefe and Dr. Makayla Keefe are always looking for bright, talented, honest, hardworking individuals who wish to work as process servers. You can find the list of job openings here.

If I have yet to gain experience as a process server, will the owners help train me as a new one?

Yes, Vivien Keefe and Dr. Makayla Saramosing, the owners of the private investigation agency in Piedmont, Oklahoma, are more than happy to train amazing up-and-coming process servers and private detectives. They want all of them to feel valued, supported, important, and loved.

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