Constable Court Services

maryland process servers

Note: The Court of Juridiction dictates the amount of time or the life of the court documents. Some jurisdictions, like the District of Columbia  grant the process servers up to 180 days to serve a paper. We are an agency that follow the instructions of the court.

Our MD Process Servers are a national process serving company under Constable Court Services that has a 96% execution rate with service of process within MD. This task making us the premier choice for serving documents nationwide. Note: Weather effects the mission with service of process in MD.

Familiarize themselves with the Maryland Rules of Civil Procedure, particularly Rule 2, which governs service of process. They should also be aware of any local rules or requirements specific to the jurisdictions where they serve documents.

Understand the authorized methods of service allowed under Maryland law, including personal service, substituted service, service by certified mail, and service by publication. Each method has specific requirements and procedures that must be followed.

Service by Certified Mail: Service by certified mail is allowed in Maryland. The service must be done using certified mail, return receipt requested, and restricted delivery to the addressee. This ensures that the defendant receives the documents personally and provides proof of receipt.

Service by First-Class Mail: In some cases, particularly for certain types of court orders or notices, service by first-class mail may be sufficient. This method does not require a return receipt but still needs to be properly documented.

Alternative Methods: If both personal service and certified mail are unsuccessful, a court may approve alternative methods of service, including posting the documents at the defendant’s residence or publication in a newspaper.

Substituted Service: If the person being served is not available, the documents can be left with someone of suitable age and discretion at the defendant’s home or usual place of abode.

Affidavit of Service: If personal service is not successful, the server must often file an affidavit describing the attempts made to serve the papers personally.

Alternative Methods: In some cases, if personal service and substituted service are not possible, a court may allow for alternative methods, which can include mailing the documents or, in rare instances, posting them at the door. However, this typically requires court approval.

Posting at the Door: Simply leaving papers at the door without attempting other methods first is generally not acceptable. Posting at the door might be allowed only after demonstrating to the court that other attempts at service have failed, and with the court’s explicit permission.

If a summons is not served in Maryland, several things can happen depending on the circumstances and how the lack of service is addressed. Here are the key points:

Failure to Serve the Defendant: If the defendant is not served with the summons and complaint, the court does not acquire jurisdiction over the defendant, meaning the case cannot proceed against that person.

To avoid issues related to non-service of a summons, it is crucial to follow the Maryland Rules of Civil Procedure for proper service and to take timely action to serve the defendant. If difficulties in serving the defendant arise, consulting with an attorney can provide guidance on how to proceed and ensure that the case can move forward.

6340 Security Blvd , Ste 100 – 1229 Baltimore, MD 21207  Phone: (888) 364-7774     |     Fax: (888) 529-0410    |     info@constablecourtservices.com