A subpoena server delivers a court document to a person who has been ordered by the court to perform a specific action. Subpoenas come in a variety of forms. One type of subpoena is a subpoena to appear as a witness, which requires the person who receives it to appear in court and speak to the court. A property subpoena may also be issued, requiring the person to turn over the given property for some reason, such as owing a debt on the property or suspected criminal use of the property. A subpoena server’s job is to deliver these subpoenas to the people who are being summoned to court or to turn over property.
The subpoena server must deliver the subpoena to the person who the court has ordered to perform the action. He must get a signature and/or other proof that the subpoena was issued. This is because, under the law, sufficient notice is required before legal action is taken. The person who received the subpoena can be held legally liable for failing to comply with the subpoena’s orders once the subpoena server has issued the formal legal request to appear, provide property, or produce information. When a person is found legally liable for failing to comply with a subpoena, the charge is frequently brought as a contempt of court charge; however, the court must be able to prove the subpoena server actually served the subpoena before such a charge can be brought.
Subpoenas are crucial because they allow court cases to move forward. A hostile witness may refuse to appear in court, which could cause delays in the justice system. Furthermore, a person may refuse to hand over property or information unless compelled to do so, and he may try to avoid the court’s demands. As a result, a person hired to serve a subpoena must be resourceful in locating the person and serving the documents.
A person who serves a subpoena is usually required to have the court’s permission. Subpoena servers are governed by different rules in different courts. In most cases, however, the servers must be at least 18 years old, have no criminal history, and be insured to do business in the state, especially if serving subpoenas for property seizure.