WI Process Servers - Southeast Wisconsin Process

Now Accepting Payments Online!

SEWP — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:07:30 +0000

Want to make a payment for a service but don’t want to bother with mailing in a check? We now accept payments online via Paypal! Don’t have a Paypal account? You can still pay via credit card using Paypal with no account needed! Make your payment instantly with confidence using Paypal’s safe and secure system. You have the ability to pay just one invoice or multiple invoices with the same transaction. Look for the new “Pay an Invoice” tab to make a payment today!

When Can a A Process Server Attempt Service?

SEWP — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:35:02 +0000

Process Servers must follow their own state’s statutes when serving documents. In some states (e.g. Florida), papers cannot be served on Sundays or holidays. In others (e.g. California), some papers cannot be served after a certain time of day (e.g. after 8:00pm).

Wisconsin, however, does not have any of these limitations. While weekends and holidays cannot be counted when computing the eight/five day time period for small claims actions, there are no statutes that state that service cannot be effectuated on those days. Thus, although holidays cannot be counted for determining the last day to serve, servers can attempt on them.

As for attempting too late at night, most servers do not attempt after 9:00pm, but there is no rule stating that they cannot. Besides, generally speaking servers will not get a very poritive response from ringing someone’s doorbell in the middle of the night. We have had a serve take place as late as 2:45am, but this was on the manager of a nightclub who never seemed to be home.

We’re on facebook! Check it out.

SEWP — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:58:32 +0000

We are now on facebook! Visit our page as we will post interesting articles, news, and discounts! Just click the link on the right side of this page.

We are currently running a new customer promotion: ‘Like us’ to receive 10% off your first process service!

Insight into Corporate Services

SEWP — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:10:50 +0000

Generally, serving a business is easy. There’s usually a helpful receptionist who either accepts service or calls down somebody authorized to accept legal documents on behalf of the company. That is how it should be. Every once in a while, though, a business comes along that never has anybody authorized to accept service. These businesses hide behind smug receptionists and assume that if the authorized person does not come to accept service, then the lawsuit will just go away. Unfortunately for them, this is not the case.

Statute 801.11 5(a) authorizes process servers to serve “the person who is apparently in charge of the office.” Unhelpful receptionists tend to have a knack for finding somebody authorized to accept papers very quickly when they find out that they are “apparently in charge of the office” and the papers will be left with them, whether they like it or not.

Interesting Article Involving Southeast!

SEWP — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:21:52 +0000

We’re in the news! An article recently appearing on WisInfo.com shows that the Fond du Lac District Attoney’s office has made the decision to farm out some of their civil process service to two private process serving companies including Southeast Wisconsin Process. The District Attorney’s office cited their decision was fueled by, “cost-savings and improved efficiency.” The article later discusses the on-going debate over whether government agencies should use public (Sheriff) or private process servers.

When everyone’s budgets are tighter, we expect more and more counties to turn to private process service companies in the future. A company like ours can save agencies hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year! But the cost-saving is not the only factor. Our firm can handle special requests, rush services and tight deadlines. Our frequent communications and quick response times save clients much time and frustration.

Finally, by using private companies, government agencies also free up valuable Sheriff time. Sheriffs are a tremendous asset to our communities but counties should consider the high cost to their own budget, tax payers and the effect on public saefty when they are allocated to process serving duties. Lest we forget that the sheriff’s salary is not the only factor in their overall cost. Their benefits package must also be factored in when determining their total cost.

To view the entire article, go to: http://www.wisinfo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110927084

Courtesy of WisInfo.com.

State of Wisconsin Increases Small Claims Limit to $10,000

SEWP — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:07:57 +0000

**BREAKING NEWS!**

The State of Wisconsin will be increasing the jurisdictional limit amount of small claims actions from $5,000 (or less) to $10,000 (or less) effective July 1, 2011. Large clams cases are now for any claim greater than $10,000. This change should make it easier and less expensive for creditors and debt collectors to file and process their claims. Since filing a small claims case currently costs $94.50 ($99.00 in Milwaukee Co.) and a large claims costs $265.50 ($269.00 in Milwaukee Co.), those filing claims between $5,000 and $10,000 will see a significant cost savings both on the filing itself and the cost of lawyer fees.

On the flip side, this change will result in fewer papers in the hands of process servers. All large claims require personal service by a process server but with the increase in the limit to $10,000, many papers will no longer need to be served personally. The majority of the counties in Wisconsin allow for mail service via the Clerk of Courts office on small claims cases, so creditors with cases totalling $5,000-10,000 will no longer need process servers’ personal attempts. Personal service will still be required for all small claim cases in a handful of counties in southeastern Wisconsin, but on a whole this limit change will adversely affect the process service industry in Wisconsin.

The state’s Joint Finance Committee inserted this provision into the budget and Govenor Walker is expected to sign the budget act in a ceremony in Green Bay on June 26, 2011. It is noted that the increase in the limit does not apply to third-party complaints, personal injury claims, or tort claims. In these situations, the current jurisdictional amounts remain in effect.

Welcome to the new Southeast Wisconsin Process website!

SEWP — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:30:25 +0000

Welcome to the Southeast Wisconsin Process Flyin’ Lion blog where the Lion says… Thank you for visiting our website! Please take a moment to look around. Our site offers many great features that are both informative and useful for any phase of your service of process. Have a question? Submit one! Want to submit a new job for service? Do it right from here! Need status of a job outstanding? Just log into your account and check. Get answers at any time of day! Our state-of-the-art database is updated daily and will save you time and money when checking multiple files.

Over the coming months we will be improving our site with many updates and features. Our blog will be updated with helpful articles and posts regarding the service of process and other important news about us and our site.

Thank you for choosing SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN PROCESS!

How Process Servers Can Help Small Businesses Collect Money Owed

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:57:11 +0000

Bounced checks? Unpaid invoices? As an entrepreneur trying to grow your small business, chasing down non-paying clients for money owed is one of the last things you may want to be doing. However, it sure would be nice to collect already! Filing multiple small claims against customers who have skipped out on paying you is one way to get money owed, but takes time and persistence. Hiring a local process server to help can be a cost-effective, time-saving solution.

In small claims court, you usually don’t need an attorney and you usually get a hearing within one month after filing. Depending on your state, the maximum amount you can sue for ranges up to about fifteen thousand dollars (Five thousand in Wisconsin). Check your state laws to determine the maximum amount you can get from a small claim. Sometimes it’s a good idea to get judgments for the maximum limit even though some customers owe more than that. Again, this is because you wouldn’t have to pay attorney fees for large claims cases, only the court’s filing fee. In most small claims courts, total fees are less than a hundred dollars.

But the idea of waiting in line at the courthouse for half the afternoon takes away from everything else you could be doing to help your business towards that bottom line. Especially if you have multiple claims to file and get served. Besides, the time and energy you might spend attempting to get paid what you’re owed can’t be recovered. And we all know that time is money! So if that doesn’t sound like very much fun, consider hiring a local process server to be your “small claims department.” Most process serving firms will file locally for no additional fee. They go to the courthouse routinely anyway, so let them do it! And most of the time there is little or no fee to do this assuming they are serving the paper for you.

You would still need to fill out your small claims forms by yourself. They are not complicated, but by law, only you, yourself, can fill them out. If you don’t want to do them yourself, only an attorney or a licensed legal document assistant can do it for you. Once your forms have been completed, you can prepare the appropriate court fees and pass the job off to your professional process server. At that point, they will open your claim with the court, which will set your hearing date out approximately 20-60 days (depending on the state) in advance and autenticate/stamp the documents. Then, they are ready to be “served” on the defendants, and the process server will begin delivering the papers to the defendant’s addresses.

However, if some locations of your non-paying customers turn out to be invalid, or you don’t know where they reside, the legal process server can assist in finding them with postal checks with the USPS, online database searches and skiptracing tactics.

After your small claim orders have been served, the process server will prepare “proof of service” (aka affidavit)forms and file them with the court (if applicable). All you have to do is show up for your hearing dates. Meanwhile, some of the non-paying clients might begin contacting you to settle. After all, being served with a lawsuit usually gets most people’s attention. Another possibility is that some defendants simply won’t appear in court. When that happens you will most likely receive a default judgment in your favor, as long as you have proof of money owed. And finally, some defendants will appear in court, in which case you should be prepared with proof that they owe you for products and services provided. At this point, you may wish to negotiate and settle on the spot.

If you get some judgments in your favor however, it does not automatically guarantee that you will recover what you’re owed.

Depending on your state, the debtors usually have about ten to forty-five days to pay up or file appeals. If they fail to do either, there are several resources available to you, and your process server may be able to assist in these procedures as well.

If the debtors own property you may be able to file liens on them. When the properties are sold, you’ll be paid out of the proceeds. You could also have your process server serve earnings garnishments and bank levies. If the debtors have jobs, bank accounts, or income from rental properties, you may be able to extract payments from those sources. Not all states allow wage garnishments (Wisconsin does), so check your local laws.

Even if you can’t recover money owed immediately, sometimes it’s still a good idea to get judgments anyway. Depending on your state, judgments are good for five to twenty years and are renewable. Chances are good that you could get paid before the judgments expire anyway, because the debtors may want to make financial transactions or apply for jobs that require credit checks. They won’t want unpaid judgments showing up on their credit reports.

Again, a competent, private process server will be able to do the majority of the legwork in collecting money for you through the small claims process. However, a process server is not an attorney and cannot advise you.

To pursue losses in greater amounts outside the jurisdiction of small claims court, it is advisable to contact an attorney.