FAQ
Questions people actually ask
Grouped by what you are trying to work out. Where the honest answer is 'it depends' or 'ask your attorney', that is what it says — a confident wrong answer is worse than a useful one.
Getting started
For anyone who has not done this before, which is most people.
I have never hired a process server. What do I actually have to do?
Call or send the details of the job. You need the documents, the name of the person they have to reach, and any address you have for them. From there L & J confirms whether it is a job that can be taken, what it involves and what comes back to you. You do not need to know the terminology.
Do I have to be an attorney to use L & J?
No. Law firms, businesses handling their own matters and private individuals all use these services. The process is the same; individuals usually just need a bit more explaining along the way, and that is expected.
How do I work out which of the three services I need?
Describe the situation rather than trying to name the service. Court paperwork that must formally reach someone is process serving. Documents that need hand delivery are courier work. A signature that needs witnessing is a notary appointment. If it is not obvious, say what you have and it gets sorted out on the call.
Can L & J tell me what the law requires in my situation?
No. L & J is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Questions about whether service is required, what method applies or what your deadline is belong with your attorney or the clerk of the court handling the matter.
Coverage and scheduling
Where L & J goes, and how soon.
What if my location is not on the published list?
If it is inside one of the published counties, it is covered, even if the town is not named. If it is just outside them, ask anyway — an address over a county line may still be reachable, and you will get a clear answer either way.
Can you take a job at short notice?
Sometimes, and it depends entirely on what is already booked that week. You will get a straight answer rather than a maybe — if the timing cannot be met, it is better for both of us that you know immediately.
Do you work evenings or weekends?
Attempts sometimes need to happen outside the middle of a working day, for the simple reason that is when people are at home. Whether a particular time is possible depends on the week, so ask when you call and you will get an honest answer about that day.
How many jobs do you take at once?
Fewer than a larger firm would, deliberately. Work is accepted when it can be done properly. If a week is genuinely full you will be told that rather than having the job accepted and quietly deprioritised.
Process serving
Questions specific to service of legal documents.
How many attempts will be made?
That is agreed with you before work starts rather than set by a fixed number on a website. Some addresses resolve on the first visit; others need several at different times. What matters is that the scope is clear at the outset and that you are told what is happening as it goes.
Will I get paperwork back confirming what happened?
What is returned to you is agreed before the job starts. Confirm the documentation you need at the point of booking — particularly if your attorney or the court has told you a specific form is required — so it is settled in advance rather than after the fact.
Can you find an address for me if I do not have one?
Address research is not among the services L & J offers. If the address you supply is not producing a result you will hear that clearly, with the record of what was tried, and you can decide how you want to proceed.
Who is allowed to be served, and how?
That is set by the rules applying to your case, not by the process server, and it is a question for your attorney or the court. Tell L & J what you have been instructed and the job will be handled accordingly.
Courier and notary
The two services that most often come up together.
Can a delivery and a notary appointment be combined in one trip?
Ask when you book. Whether it works depends on the locations, the timing and what each part involves, so it is worth raising at the start rather than adding it on the day.
One of my signers does not have photo identification. What now?
Say so before the appointment rather than on the day. Identification requirements are not something that can be worked around at the table, and it is far better to sort out in advance than to have everyone gather for a signing that cannot go ahead.
Can a document that has already been signed be notarised?
Usually not as it stands, because the signature needs to be made in front of the notary. If the document is already signed, mention it when booking so it can be dealt with before the appointment rather than during it.
Is a courier delivery enough to satisfy a court requirement?
No — a hand delivery and formal service of process are different things. If your paperwork has to be served to meet a court requirement, say so and it will be booked as process serving instead.
Payment, documents and privacy
How the practical side is handled.
How do I pay, and what does it cost?
Payment is arranged directly with L & J, in US dollars. No fee schedule is published on this site because cost depends on the job — the location, what is involved and how quickly it is needed. You get a figure for your actual job before anything starts.
Can I pay online through this website?
Not at present. There is no online payment on this site, and no card details are handled through it. Payment arrangements are confirmed with you directly when the job is booked.
Can I upload my documents through the website?
No, and that is deliberate. Legal documents routinely contain sensitive information about real people, and a public web form is not the right place for them. Handover is arranged directly once the job is confirmed.
What happens to the information I send through the forms?
It is used to respond to your enquiry or request and nothing else. It is not sold, not used for marketing lists and not passed to a third-party lead network. The Privacy Policy sets out the detail.
What happens to my documents after the job is done?
Confirm this at the point of booking. How documents are returned or handled afterwards is agreed as part of the job rather than governed by a blanket statement on a website, because it varies with what the documents are.
Not covered here?
Service-specific questions are answered on each service page, and coverage questions on the service area page. Anything else, ask directly — it is usually a two-minute conversation.
Still not sure? Just ask.
A short call usually settles it. (228) 263-0259 reaches the owner directly.