Petition to Make Assault on a Process Server a Felony Reaches 500 Signatures!

Denver, CO – As part of the PAAPRS (Promoting Assault Awareness and Protective Regulations for Servers) initiative, process servers, legal professionals, association leaders, and more have banded together to sign a petition: To Make Assault on a Process Server a Felony in all States. The petition aims to achieve further protection for process servers, professionals who serve legal notice to defendants. The petition reached over 100 signatures in its first week, and just yesterday passed the milestone of 500 signatures. The 500th signers was Wayne Johns of Michigan.

“The people signing this petition aren’t just process servers,” ServeNow.com co-founder Trent Carlyle explained. “Some signers are friends and family members, and others are legal professionals or in related fields.” Carlyle noted that the steady stream of comments on the petition speak for why this is such an important cause.

“We are simply the messengers providing an important required step in the legal process that from time to time requires that we intentionally put ourselves in harm’s way,” signer Troy Theonned of Minnesota writes. “Making assaults on process servers a felony would be one extra layer of security that could potentially make an individual think twice before taking their anger and frustration out on someone who is clearly not involved and is only there to deliver notification.” Process servers are never directly involved in the legal action, and are hired as a non-interested third party to preserve the recipient’s right to notice of their involvement in a court case.

Many other signers noted that with a job that centers around preserving key elements to the Constitution, it’s odd that they protect laws and yet receive no added protection for doing their job. Signer Alvin Gonzalez of New York writes, “Why should process servers be treated any different from the sheriff, constable, and police officer when serving process?” Thomas Jackson of Texas furthers with, “Why is my life or any other process server’s life less important than that of a police officer, fireman, or judge?”

As for family members and friends that have signed, John Aguilar of Texas expresses concerns for the safety of his nephew, the owner of a process server company, and his employees. “They represent our courts and legal system and should be afforded the same level of protection as any officer of the court,” he writes. Julie Gliem of Wyoming notes that the current level of protection isn’t enough. “My husband was assaulted for serving papers,” she writes. “The District Attorney has had the charges on his desk for four months and won’t even file for a misdemeanor.”

Numerous legal associations, process servers, and organizations have joined together to create the PAAPRS campaign. PAAPRS is Promoting Assault Awareness and Protective Regulations for Servers, and aims to raise awareness about process server assault. Additional resources include articles, prevention tips, an embeddable badge, a process server assault map, and other helpful tools. Chad Barger of the California Association of Legal Support Professionals, who signed the petition, writes, “As a process server, business owner, and state association leader, I understand the need to protect process servers. We are a vital part of due process and deserve protection under the law.”

Individuals who are interested in signing the petition can click here to sign.

About ServeNow.com:
ServeNow.com, a subsidiary of LAWgical, is the most widely used source for finding process servers worldwide. ServeNow.com assists lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, and the public in locating local process servers and legal support professionals.

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