As we have explained countless times on this blog, serving legal paperwork is a crucial component of the legal process that must be completed prior to the start of courtroom proceedings in a lawsuit. Making one aware of a legal proceeding that they are a party to, or a witness of, is certainly representative of the administration of justice.
However, there are times when the individual that is meant to be served is unable to be located within a reasonable amount of time. He or she may be purposely evading service, or his or her last known whereabouts may not be he or she currently lives or works. That is why, at Baton Rouge Process Servers, we use skip tracing services that enable us to locate transient individuals, and those in hiding, intentionally or not, so they can be properly served.
What Is Skip Tracing?
Skip tracing involves many different individual practices that we perform jointly in order to track down a person that is far off the proverbial grid or simply does not want to be found. The term literally means “tracing” someone that has “skipped” town, usually with no forwarding contact or location information. For a process server attempting to conduct his or her job, finding such individuals can be a formidable, if not downright impossible, task. After all, any traditional methods that laypeople would have available to them are likely to fall short in finding someone purposely evading service.
That said, our process servers have access to specialized databases which enable us to more easily search for those in hiding. We have the ability to gather information from utility companies, banks, social media, voting records, third parties, corporate filings, car registrations, drivers’ license renewals, property tax records, landline listings, credit reports, criminal and probation records, and many other sources of possible location or employment data. Using such a comprehensive gathering of information, we then cross-reference our data collected from each source. This is usually enough to find most people or at least a living relative to ask for further information.
The Importance of Skip Tracing for Process Servers
By using skip tracing in Metairie to locate absentee would-be servees, we can expedite the legal process in a manner that makes justice more attainable for all parties concerned. After all, serving legal documents to all parties named in litigation is a critical component of due process. If a litigant is not made aware of the proceeding involving him or her, then the individual will not be given a chance to defend his or herself. Skip tracing in Lake Charles equalizes the process and gives everyone, even those not easily found, a voice in legal matters that concern them.
Also, it is true that the proverbial wheels of justice do turn slowly, so adding further delay to the process is not only irritating, but pointless. Timely and accurate service, as important as it is, is the bedrock of case progression. A case can drag through the system when the court has to wait a long time for the filing indicating all parties were fairly served. That means many cases will stagnate, causing a backlog in the courts. Skip tracing quickens the process, allowing more servees to be located, so cases may proceed.
Skip tracing in Lafayette also reduces costs. If a litigant or a law firm has to repeatedly hire a process server to serve an individual, and these multiple attempts are unsuccessful, they are wasting time, resources, and money.
Please remember, even though we are legal professionals, we are not attorneys ourselves. If you have any questions about what we covered here, please ask a lawyer in your area.
Sources:
Baton Rouge Process Servers – What is Skip Tracing?
Serve Now – What is Skip Tracing?
Metairie Process Servers – How Skip Tracing Can Help You With Your Process Serving Needs
Microbilt – A Step-by-Step Guide to Skip Tracing
RETipster – Skip Tracing Guide: Little Known Tricks to Help you Find Anyone
Lafayette Process Servers – How to Effectively Skip Trace a Person for Process Service
