.Process Server Safety Policy:

Because Golden State Municipal recognizes the spread of COVID-19 as a threat to the safety and well-being of our staff, clients, and defendants, we have enacted the following policies and procedures in order to minimize the spread of the disease as much as it is within our power. We will continue to monitor local, state, and federal agencies for guidance on the best ways to stay safe and will update our policies accordingly.

Office Policies:

The following policies outline the safety requirements of all office staff and visitors.

In an effort to minimize person-to-person contact in the office, only essential staff will be permitted to come in. All staff whose presence in the office is not required to do their job will work remotely. Office closed to public until further notice.

Before the Serve:

Prior to serving, process servers will assess their own health by taking their temperature and monitoring potential recent exposure. If a server is experiencing symptoms or feeling sick, they are not permitted to serve. Servers must also ensure that their cars, documents, and hands are properly sanitized.

Making the Serve : Here are the steps a process server must follow when conducting a serve:

1. Put on a mask and ensure hands are sanitized and gloved.

2. Knock on the door and retreat a minimum of six feet or as far as possible.

3. Once the door opens, the server will request confirmation of residency and identity as normal except at a distance.

4. If confirmed, the server will place the documents on the ground and identify them as legal documents.

5. The process server will then retreat and observe the receipt of the documents from a distance of six feet or more.

When it is an option, servers or our office staff will call the defendant ahead of time to make sure the recipient is comfortable with the procedure. Document recipients or defendants may also contact our office to discuss alternative ways for delivery that allows them to stay comfortable and safe.

If a recipient refuses to come to the door, the server must confirm identity through the door and obtain a visual confirmation through a window. Once identified, the server will leave the documents by the door and retreat.

Since these times are unprecedented and complicated, it is important to document what is being done differently in case someone challenges a serve later on. Therefore, our process servers will also carefully document their serves to avoid doubt about the validity of the serve if it is brought to court.