Acceptance Of Service Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Acceptance Of Service, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Acceptance Of Service?

n. it is a substitute for personal service. Some jurisdictions encourage voluntary acceptance of service in cases like for example the documents are mailed to the concerned party with a request to sign and return a form of acknowledgement. Acceptance of service means that the served party agrees to have received the complaint or petition without the need to physically engage a process server.

History and Meaning of Acceptance Of Service

Acceptance of service is an alternative to personal service, which allows litigation documents to be delivered via mail, with a request to sign and return a form of acknowledgment. The process does not require the physical engagement of a process server, reducing the cost and time of serving legal documents. Accepting the service means the receiver agrees to have received the complaint or petition in question.

The use of acceptance of service varies across jurisdictions. In some cases, the acceptance of service legal document must be notarized, while in other cases, the defendant only has to send back a signed document. Some jurisdictions may require a process server to deliver legal documents in some types of cases.

Examples of Acceptance Of Service

  • Mary's attorney sent a copy of the complaint by certified mail and requested a waiver of service of summons. John, the defendant, returned a signed acceptance of service to Mary's attorney.
  • The plaintiff applied for acceptance of service by mail in a suit against a bankrupt defendant. In this case, the court allowed the plaintiff to use this alternative method of service.
  • After failing to serve the defendant personally, the plaintiff filed a motion for alternative service for acceptance of service by mail, which was granted by the court.

Legal Terms Similar to Acceptance Of Service

  • Personal Service: Personal service is the serving of a lawsuit, summons, or other legal document directly to the person being served.
  • Certified Mail: Certified mail is a Postal Service product that provides proof of mailing, proof of delivery, and a mailing receipt. This mailing option may be used for many types of legal documents.