Proof of the legal delivery of official pleadings or other documents to a person or entity is called service of process
In civil cases where there is a court filing of a lawsuit, such as a civil complaint, the law requires proof that the lawsuit was actually served on the intended party.
Service of Civil Complaint
Legal process means delivering a copy of the court-endorsed filed complaint to the person or persons served.
When the service of the complaint is made, it is accompanied by a formal summons that bears the court’s case number and initial instructions to the defendant on how to proceed.
A copy of the summons is filed with the Court Clerk, establishing that the defendant was formally served with the complaint.
The completed service begins the official notice of proof of process and requires the defense attorney to file a legal response.
Process Server
The person who performs this service is called a process server. Upon making legal service on the named party, the process server confirms doing so by signing what is called a proof of service.
