Please note that pursuant to paragraph 12 of Administrative Order 2020-01, the sheriffs of all four counties in this circuit are authorized to stay the execution of the following orders.
Writs of possession
Levies
Replevins
Five-day evictions
Writs of garnishments
Regular summonses
Department of Revenue paperwork
Out-of-state orders
In-county and out-of-county tax deeds.
This authorization also applies to private process servers who are certified in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.
RE: SERVICE OF PROCESS UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 2020-01
Section 12 of Administrative Order 2020-01 “authorized the Sheriffs to stay execution” of process during this emergency time to be free of legal repercussion should they not want to risk personal contact/infection by executing service. It did not prohibit service of process.
Service of process derives from the authority of the court. Those who serve process, the Sheriffs and private process servers, do so ultimately on the court’s behalf, through the requests of the litigants. The purpose of Section 12 of Administrative Order 2020-01 is to address fear of possible contempt of court should servers of process (Sheriffs and private process servers) choose not to serve process in this time of emergency. Section 12 is the court’s permission to stay the execution of process until the emergency has passed. Process servers are granted permission to wait to effect service until the emergency has passed. It is not a prohibition, or a ban.
To be absolutely clear, Section 12 of AO 2020-01 is not a ban on service of process. Should the Sheriff or private process servers wish to perform that function in this time, THEY MAY. However, if they choose not to serve process for fear of the risk of person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, they may do so without fear of the court’s power of contempt.
Certification – New Applicant and Renewals
Need help gathering your documents? Use one of the checklists below.
New Process Server Certification Procedure
Annual Renewal Process Server Certification Procedure
2017-03 Second Amended Certification and Regulation of Process Servers
- EXHIBIT A - Initial Application for Certified Process Server PDF | DOC
- EXHIBIT B - Certified Process Server Renewal Application PDF | DOC
- EXHIBIT C - Certificate of Good Conduct PDF | DOC
- EXHIBIT D - Affidavit of Mentor Certified Process Server PDF | DOC
- EXHIBIT E - Certified Process Server Education PDF | DOC
February 2024 Active Process Server Contact Information
Process Server Education
For the class information, visit the Florida Association of Professional Process Servers web page. (www.fapps.org)
Process Server Review Board Contact
Jessica Sanchez
Court Administration
250 NW Country Club Drive, Suite 217
Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
Office: (772) 807-4370
Email: sanchezj@circuit19.org