What happens if the police can't find you to serve you?
Asked by: Dr. Karelle Lowe | Last update: February 10, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (37 votes)
If police or process servers can't find you, the court will try alternative service methods like substituted service (leaving papers with a suitable adult at your home/work and mailing a copy) or publication (notice in a newspaper), but eventually, the case can proceed without you, potentially leading to a default judgment or arrest warrant, as courts aim to move cases forward even if you avoid personal service.
What happens if the police can't serve you?
Process servers are tasked with delivering legal documents such as summons or subpoenas to defendants, and if they can't locate you, the court process may be postponed. If attempts to serve you are unsuccessful, the court may grant an alternative service method, such as publishing the notice in a local newspaper.
What happens if you can't find a person to serve?
If you can't find someone to serve court papers, you must show the court diligent efforts, then ask for permission to use alternative methods, like substituted service (leaving papers with another adult at their home/work), service by mail (certified mail), posting on the door, or publication in a newspaper, to avoid case delays or default judgments against you.
What happens if you refused to be served?
If you refuse to be served legal papers, it doesn't stop the process; the server can often use "substituted service" (like leaving papers at your home or mailing them), and you risk a default judgment where the plaintiff wins automatically, losing your right to defend yourself, and potentially facing worse outcomes like wage garnishment or asset seizure. Actively resisting with violence is a crime, but even just avoiding service leads to the case moving forward without you, often resulting in penalties.
What happens if you don't receive a summons?
If you never receive a court summons, a case can still proceed, often resulting in a default judgment against you, meaning you lose automatically without a chance to defend yourself; however, you may be able to challenge this if you can prove improper service, which usually involves showing you weren't notified correctly (e.g., left at the wrong address, someone else signed), requiring quick action like contacting a lawyer to file a motion to quash service or set aside the judgment, as avoiding papers doesn't make the lawsuit disappear.
AVOID GETTING SERVED!!! // How To Get Out of a Lawsuit
How to prove you weren't served?
Surveillance: You can provide surveillance footage showing you were not served on the alleged date or that the service was improper. Mail Records: If there's no mail delivered to you or if you haven't signed the receipt, you can petition the post office to provide their records as evidence of improper service.
How long to wait for a summons?
A summons must be served at least 7 days before the court date if it is served by personal delivery, or 21 days before the court date if it is served by postal delivery. If a summons has not been correctly served, you are not obliged to appear in court in response to it.
Can you actually avoid being served?
Can someone truly avoid being served indefinitely? While an evasive recipient does complicate and temporarily delay a case, it's never a permanent solution.
What happens if a server can't find you?
If a server can't find you, it usually means a process server (for legal documents) can't locate you, leading to delays, potential substituted service (like newspaper ads), or even default judgments; or in a technical sense, your computer can't find a website server due to internet, DNS, or network issues. The outcome depends on whether it's a legal situation (delay/default) or a technical error (troubleshoot connection/DNS).
How many attempts do you have to serve?
Generally, process servers attempt to serve legal documents at least three times before they seek permission for alternative methods. The number of required attempts may vary from state to state.
What happens if you don't answer the door to a process server?
If you don't answer the door for a process server, they can't force entry, but they'll likely make more attempts and may resort to alternative methods like "nail and mail" (posting papers) or leaving them with another adult at the residence, which still counts as proper service, leading to potential default judgments, added costs, and legal complications if you don't respond to the underlying lawsuit. Avoiding service doesn't make the lawsuit disappear; it just delays the inevitable and can result in losing the case by default.
Do I have to go to court if I'm not served?
If you have not been properly served, and you don't show up, the court has no personal jurisdiction The authority of the court to make a decision that affects the parties in the case over you, and can't enter a judgment against you.
How to sue someone if you don't know where they live?
Use Another Address
If you are not able to locate the other party's physical address, you may still be able to have the individual served with the necessary documents. For example, if you know his or her employer, you can have the party served at the employer's address.
Can I be sued if I was never served?
No, you cannot be legally sued without proper service of process, as it violates your constitutional right to due process (notice). However, a lawsuit can be filed, and a default judgment entered against you if the plaintiff attempts service in ways the court deems acceptable (like "abode service" or "service by publication") and you never received actual notice. If you discover a judgment against you from improper service, you can file a motion to challenge it, but you must act quickly.
Can you walk away from being detained?
If the officer says that you are not being detained or you are free to leave, then you can walk away calmly. An arrest requires probable cause and occurs when a person is taken into custody by law enforcement officers. Law enforcement agents do not need a judge-signed warrant to arrest someone in public.
What happens if someone doesn't respond to being served?
Failing to respond to a civil summons paves the way for the other party—the plaintiff—to request a default judgment. Essentially, this means that the court awards the plaintiff everything they asked for in their complaint simply because you didn't show up or file a response to dispute it.
What if I can't find the person I need to serve?
If you can't find someone to serve court papers, you must show the court diligent efforts, then ask for permission to use alternative methods, like substituted service (leaving papers with another adult at their home/work), service by mail (certified mail), posting on the door, or publication in a newspaper, to avoid case delays or default judgments against you.
What to do when the server cannot be found?
To fix a "Server Not Found" error, first check the URL and your internet, then clear your browser's cache, restart your router, and try a different browser; if that fails, flush your DNS, temporarily disable your firewall/VPN, update network drivers, or switch to public DNS servers like 8.8.8.8.
How do I locate my server?
Where are my servers located?
- Open the command prompt. Press the Windows Key and “R” to open the Run box. ...
- Type “Tracert” and the website's address into the command prompt. Now type “tracert” followed by the website's URL into the Command Prompt box and press Enter.
- Note the IP address next to the website's URL.
What happens if I ignore a server?
If you ignore a process server, the lawsuit doesn't disappear; instead, it often leads to a default judgment where the plaintiff wins automatically, potentially resulting in wage garnishment or bank levies, as you forfeit your right to defend yourself. The court can then use alternative service methods, like publishing notice in a newspaper or serving a relative, and your evasion may even lead to added costs or contempt of court charges.
What is the hardest lawsuit to win?
The hardest cases to win in court often involve high emotional stakes, like crimes against children or sexual assault, where jurors struggle with bias; complex, voluminous evidence, such as white-collar fraud; and defenses that challenge societal norms, like an insanity plea, which faces high scrutiny and conflicting expert testimony. Cases with weak physical evidence, uncooperative witnesses (like in sex crimes), or those involving unpopular defendants (e.g., child abusers) are particularly challenging for defense attorneys.
How do you know if you're being served?
Being served usually means that you've been served notice of some legal proceedings against you. It is when someone hands you a piece of paper notifying you that you are being sued for something and may need to respond by filing paperwork with a court of law to defend yourself.
How quickly does someone get served?
In California, serving someone might take a few days to many weeks, depending on several factors. The type of service, recipient location, and applicable laws all significantly impact how long it takes.
How to avoid being served a summons?
Some people go to great lengths to avoid being served. They might stop answering the door, stop checking their mail, or leave town altogether. In other cases, the defendant may lie to friends and family about their location, or even use aliases to avoid detection. This is a known tactic.
What happens if I ignore a summons?
It is not an order, so you do not have to do what it says. But, if you ignore a summons, you will likely lose the case against you. The court will usually decide the lawsuit in favor of the person suing you. The court could decide that you have to pay money or that you must stop doing something.