What is a Stakeout?

When a process server is looking for an individual that is rarely home, not easily found, or is evading service, they may perform a 'stakeout.'

 A stakeout is the surveillance of a residential or commercial location in anticipation of the evasive individual to arrive, so the server can deliver the court documents. The law does not prevent a process server from waiting outside of a home or business for the person to exit. The process server may also wait in front of a known friend or family member’s home if the server thinks the person will visit there.

Although individuals can attempt to ignore process servers, the court will never give up on serving legal documents. A process server may have to utilize non-traditional techniques to get an individual to receive their papers, and the papers will likely be served no matter what.