Simple Steps Secure Serene Sheriff Service
1) Our first tip for Sheriff's Service is to always pay the Sheriff's Service fee at the time you e-file. This is the preference for all Clerks' and Sheriff’s Offices, providing easy and consistent proof of payment. If the fee isn't paid during a filing, this can cause an issue where the clerk can't easily make a record of the payment on the case. Most clerks will accept paying later with a check, but they won't be very happy about it.
Another approach to repairing the situation if you forgot to pay the fee while filing is that if you have more documents to file on the case, you can add the Sheriff's service fee with *any*subsequent filing, even if it's not the papers you want served. Then, if you're using Doxpop, you can do a service-only filing to have us mail the papers for you. (Call us for help if this sounds confusing!)
2) The second important tip in Sheriff's Service is to make sure you send three copies of the filestamped document to the Sheriff along with your proof of payment. If you are using Doxpop, we can make this happen for your automatically as soon as the documents are accepted through our "Delivery by Doxpop" service. For a small fee, we will watch for the filing to be accepted and then mail the filestamped copies for you.
If you aren't using Doxpop's delivery service to manage this for you, you'll need to wait until you receive notice of acceptance, then print the three copies manually along with a cover sheet and mail them to the Sheriff. When you send the documents yourself, make sure you also send proof that the Sheriff's service fee is paid. Your NEF (Notice of Electronic Filing) should list all of the fees.
3) A third important tip is that the Sheriff's service fee need only be paid once per case, by either party, and that covers service for any number of deliveries to any number of people in any Indiana county. Filers often make the mistake of paying for service a second time when it isn't necessary. (The Sheriff appreciates your donation!)
The only situation that requires a second Sheriff's service fee is a post-judgment filing (a proceeding supplemental).
3 &1/2) Lastly, tracking the completion of Sheriff's Service can also be the source of some difficulty. It is important to keep checking the case summary (minutes) for an Affidavit of Service, because the Clerk will enter this when the Sheriff provides a return of service. This will appear as a minute entry, and if you use Doxpop, it is easy to set an alert on the case so you receive immediate notification when service is perfected.
