The initial challenge in a lawsuit isn’t always achieving victory in court, but rather locating and legally serving the defendant. Many individuals being sued are difficult to find, often providing false addresses, actively evading process servers, or intentionally going “off the grid” to avoid legal accountability. In these complex situations, our skilled Connecticut Private Detectives prove invaluable. While process serving sounds simple, successfully serving an evasive or hard-to-find individual requires a sophisticated blend of research, surveillance, and strategic planning. Please continue reading as we explore how a private investigator locates hard-to-find defendants.
What is Process Serving and Why Does It Matter?
Service of process is the essential legal procedure for formally notifying a person that they are being sued or are the subject of a legal action. This critical step ensures that the defendant or respondent receives a fair chance to respond before a court can issue rulings that impact their rights, finances, or assets.
Courts mandate that service must be executed via an approved method. Improper service can lead to significant delays, case dismissal, or the overturning of judgments if the defendant successfully challenges it. Therefore, merely “seeing the papers” is insufficient; the service must be legally valid, properly executed, and officially documented.
In most routine matters, a standard process server can efficiently deliver the papers to the defendant’s home or workplace and file the necessary proof of service with the court. However, this simple approach fails when:
- The defendant’s recorded address is outdated or false.
- The party has moved multiple times or relocated outside the area.
- The individual is actively evading service.
- Their lifestyle is transient.
When these complex issues arise, the case halts until the party can be successfully located and served. Attorneys and clients frequently turn to private investigators who can combine the traditional task of process serving with specialized skip tracing and field investigation.
What is a PI’s Role in Difficult Process Serving Cases?
A private investigator’s job in delivering legal papers is much more than just knocking on a door. It is a complex project to verify a person’s identity. Their thorough process includes:
- Deep Research: Using special techniques (skip tracing) to locate the individual.
- On-Site Work & Watching: Physically observing and keeping track of the person.
- Fact-Finding: Discreetly asking questions and gathering information.
- Official Records: Creating detailed documentation that can be used in court.
The main goal is not just to locate the person once, but to be absolutely sure of their identity, prove they did everything they could to serve the papers, and use a delivery method that will hold up legally if challenged in court.
Skip tracing is how private investigators find people whose location is unknown. It combines database research, open-source intelligence, and pattern analysis to establish a subject’s current, accurate whereabouts, including their addresses, contacts, employers, and associates.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Advanced Investigations.
