I follow @onebigrhino on Twitter.  No, it’s not what you think.  @onebigrhino is the Twitter handle of Jeff Bannister, president of the National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS.)  The motto of Jeff’s company is “honesty, loyalty, thick-skinned.”  The rhino makes for a very appropriate company logo. 

Months ago, Jeff tweeted about a great service offered by NAPPS – find a professional process server by zip code.  I’ve shared this tip repeatedly on Oregon State Bar section listservs.  I’m not saying lawyers suffer from short-term memory loss, but after posting it about a dozen times, it dawned on me that it was worth blogging about.

The NAPPS interface allows users to set search parameters by zip code, distance, city, state, or country.  If you know the process server’s last name, you can also search by that field.

Just as lawyers belong to professional organizations, pursue continuing legal education, and adhere to best practices, so do members of NAPPS.  The organization also offers publications, a recap of the laws regulating process servers, and other valuable resources.  (In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a fan.)  You can find a list of state associations here.

Service of process isn’t an easy job.   If you’re a lawyer in Oregon, stay on track with our Service of Process Checklist available on the PLF Web site.  Select Practice Aids and Forms, then Litigation.  While you’re there, check out our Plaintiff and Defense Case Information Sheets, Common Civil Litigation Time Limitations Chart, Civil Litigation Checklist, Settlement or Judgment Disbursal Checklist, and other forms.

Copyright 2010 Beverly Michaelis