Fast, Compliant & Court-Ready Document Delivery
We deliver legal documents with precision and professionalism. We get it into the right hands, fast — and if others failed, we'll finish the job.
Whether it's a summons, complaint, subpoena, or restraining order, we get it into the right hands, fast. Every serve is completed in full compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
Our team is trained to handle evasive defendants and high-stakes cases. You'll receive prompt confirmation and proof of service, including time-stamped photos and optional GPS documentation.
We've built our reputation on reliability, speed, and discretion. If others failed, we'll finish the job.
Documents We Serve
Service Tiers
Difficult & Evasive Defendants
What Makes Service Valid in California
California courts don't grade effort — they grade method. The Code of Civil Procedure lays out a hierarchy of service methods, and each one has conditions that have to be satisfied in order before the next becomes available. A serve that skips a step is vulnerable months later, when the other side moves to quash or to vacate a default.
1. Personal service — CCP § 415.10
The documents are delivered directly to the named party. This is the cleanest method available: no follow-up mailing, no waiting period, and the response clock starts on the date of delivery. The server does not need the person to accept, sign, or acknowledge anything — informed delivery in their presence is enough. Every job we take starts here, and most finish here.
2. Substituted service — CCP § 415.20
Available only after reasonable diligence at personal delivery. The server leaves the documents with a competent adult — 18 or older — at the party's dwelling or usual place of business, tells that person the general nature of the papers, and then mails a second copy to the same address. The critical detail attorneys most often miss: service is complete 10 days after the mailing, not on the day the papers changed hands. Calendar the response date from the mailing, not the drop.
3. Posting and mailing — CCP § 415.45
Reserved for unlawful detainer actions and available only by court order, after the court is satisfied the party cannot be served by the other methods with reasonable diligence. It is the last resort in an eviction, not a routine option — see our unlawful detainer service page for how that sequence works in practice.
The 60-day rule. California Rules of Court 3.110(b) requires the complaint to be served on all named defendants — with proofs of service filed — within 60 days of filing. Miss it and you're explaining yourself at an Order to Show Cause hearing. That deadline is the real argument for ordering service early and for running a skip trace the moment an address looks stale, rather than burning three weeks of attempts on an address the defendant left last year.
Why Proofs of Service Get Rejected
In our experience, rejected proofs almost never involve papers that weren't delivered. They involve delivery that wasn't documented well enough to survive a challenge. The recurring failures:
Substituted service with no diligence record. Dropping to § 415.20 requires prior good-faith attempts at personal delivery. AB 747 codifies what many judges already expected — attempts on at least three occasions, on three different days, at three different times — effective January 1, 2027. Three attempts crammed into the same weekday morning have never been a strong record.
Mailing dates that don't add up. If the mailing date is missing, or the response deadline was calculated from the drop instead of 10 days after the mailing, the timeline on the face of the proof contradicts itself.
Vague identification. "Jane Doe, co-resident" with no physical description, no approximate age, and no explanation of how the server confirmed the address is exactly what opposing counsel builds a motion to quash around.
No corroborating evidence. A declaration alone is a story; a declaration with time-stamped, GPS-tagged photos of the door is a record. We've documented that way for years, which is also why the AB 747 (SPARE Act) requirements don't change how we work — and why they don't change what we charge, as published on our pricing page.
General information, not legal advice.
Common Questions
How many attempts are included?
Routine service includes 3 attempts. Restraining orders and family law documents include up to 5 attempts at no extra charge.
Can you serve on weekends?
Yes. Weekend and holiday service is available with an additional Special Time fee starting at $50.
What if the address is wrong?
We notify you immediately and offer skip tracing to locate a correct address using public records and investigative databases.
How will I receive the Proof of Service?
Electronically via email immediately after completion. Hard copies available on request.
Do you serve in gated communities?
Yes. We coordinate with property management or conduct stakeouts if direct access is restricted.
California Service Law FAQ
What makes service of process valid in California?
Three things: the right method, the right person, and a proof of service that documents both. California's Code of Civil Procedure sets a hierarchy — personal delivery to the named party under CCP § 415.10, substituted service under CCP § 415.20 after reasonable diligence, and (in unlawful detainer cases only, with a court order) posting and mailing under CCP § 415.45. Skipping a step or documenting it poorly is what gets a serve thrown out, not how hard the server tried.
How long do I have to serve a defendant after filing in California?
California Rules of Court 3.110(b) requires the complaint to be served on all named defendants, with proofs of service filed, within 60 days of filing the complaint. Courts issue Orders to Show Cause when that deadline passes. Routine service usually lands well inside 60 days, but if your defendant is evasive or the address is stale, the 60-day clock is the reason to start skip tracing early rather than late.
What is substituted service, and when is it allowed?
Substituted service under CCP § 415.20 is a fallback, not a shortcut. After reasonable diligence at personal service, the server may leave the documents with a competent adult (18 or older) at the party's dwelling or usual place of business, inform that person of the general nature of the papers, and then mail a second copy to the same address. Service is not complete on the day the papers are dropped — it is complete 10 days after the mailing.
Can a process server leave papers with my roommate or a coworker?
Yes, if the requirements of CCP § 415.20 are met. The person receiving the documents must be a competent adult at least 18 years old, present at the dwelling or usual place of business, and told what the papers are. A minor answering the door does not qualify, and neither does a neighbor at a different address. A mailed copy must follow, and the 10-day completion period runs from that mailing.
Why would a court reject my proof of service?
The most common reasons are documentation problems, not delivery problems: substituted service with no record of prior diligent attempts, all attempts logged at the same time of day, a missing or miscounted mailing date, a vague description of the person served, or a missing county registration number. Starting January 1, 2027, AB 747 also requires photographs with date, time, and GPS stamps on proofs for personal service, substituted service, and unlawful detainer posting.
General information, not legal advice.
Ready to serve your documents?
Submit online or call us — we're available Mon–Fri 7am–10pm and for urgent matters on weekends.