If you’ve ever filed a lawsuit, you know that bcan become one of the most frustrating parts. Serving a defendant sounds simple, but in reality, service of process can stall your litigation when the defendant’s whereabouts are unknown.

In this post, we’ll cover:

• ✅ Why locating a defendant is often so difficult

• ✅ Common mistakes law firms make

• ✅ How skip tracing and litigation investigations can change the game

• ✅ Practical tips to improve your success

Why Defendants Are Hard to Find

The legal system requires personal service of process to officially notify someone about a lawsuit. But what happens when you can’t find them?

Here are common reasons defendants become difficult to serve:

• They’ve moved without leaving a trail. Address records are often outdated or incomplete.

• They’re deliberately avoiding service. Some people actively dodge process servers once they suspect legal action.

• They live under the radar. Little social media, minimal online footprint, or no recent financial activity makes tracking harder.

• Public records have mistakes. Wrong spellings, old addresses, or mismatched data can mislead search efforts.

When these factors combine, your litigation investigations and legal process slow down.

Common Mistakes That Delay Service of Process

Law firms and plaintiffs often make errors that waste time and money:

• ❌ Relying only on last known addresses without confirming if the defendant still lives there.

• ❌ Assuming Google searches are enough — most people can’t be accurately located using only public tools.

• ❌ Skipping documentation of efforts — courts often require proof of diligent attempts before granting alternative service.

How Skip Tracing and Litigation Investigations Help

Skip tracing services are essential when you can’t find someone through simple methods. Professional skip tracers and litigation investigators can:

• ✅ Access exclusive databases unavailable to the public

• ✅ Search utility records, credit headers, DMV data, and more

• ✅ Identify family members, associates, or workplaces to uncover leads

• ✅ Provide verified, updated addresses for process servers

With expert help, your service of process can continue smoothly, reducing case delays.

Tips to Improve Your Process Serving Success

Follow these best practices to increase your odds:

• ⭐ Engage skip tracing services early — don’t wait until you’ve wasted weeks chasing dead ends.

• ⭐ Provide as much detail as possible — full name, date of birth, Social Security number, last known employer, and prior addresses.

• ⭐ Document every attempt — courts need evidence of reasonable efforts if you request alternative service methods.

• ⭐ Work with a professional process serving company — experienced b know the right methods, timelines, and court rules.

Work With Legal Document Server for Process Serving and Investigations

At Legal Document Server, we specialize in fast, reliable process serving, backed by professional skip tracing and litigation investigations. Our services help you:

• ✔ Locate evasive defendants nationwide

• ✔ Ensure proper, compliant service of process

• ✔ Avoid unnecessary court delays

Ready to solve your defendant location challenges? Contact us today or explore our skip tracing services to get started.