I talk about this in my book How to Make a Citizen’s Arrest, but the difference between the words “chase” and “follow” are huge and can make a big difference when you make your report.
I’m not sure it’s the best idea to give a statement to the police. It’s super complicated beyond what I can discuss here, but at the very least you may find yourself on the phone with 911 and that is recorded!
So here’s the thing…
Chase means you are pursuing the subject and he knows you’re behind him and trying to catch him.
Follow means you’re watching where he goes and (usually) he doesn’t know you’re there.
IMPOTANT: During a surveillance case the subject should NEVER know you are following him. Never.
If you understand the importance of this tip, then don’t miss out on my free special report If You Want To Be a Private Investigator Give Up… Unless You Do These Three Things. You can get it right here…
Committed to your success,
Larry Kaye, P.I.
P.S. – This blog post marks 5 years to the day that I’ve been posting each week! And while I’m really excited to hit that anniversary, it’s probably important for me to add (yet again)… I am not a lawyer and nothing here is legal advice.
Hello there,
I have “The Investigators Ultimate Guide To Process Serving” and love it for its great informational and well laid out format. You were also kind enough to personally reply to my Survey Feedback you conducted a while back. Very nice gesture!
I have a question: how do you personally feel about working with a company that contracts with a company that does “Bulk” Process Serving? What would you consider the Pro’s and Con’s to working for this type of company? And what type of Process Server PC Software do they use?
Lastly, can you clarify one thing for me please: do we file the Return of Service in the County it originates in or in the County we serve it in? My understanding is the County it ORIGINATED IN but I want to clarify.
I’m told these “bulk” companies electronically file all their’s, correct?
Thanks a bunch, Larry, appreciate your help!
Hey, Ana.
Let me start with the quick and easy answer…
We file Return of Process in the county from which it was issued.
Basically it’s telling the court/judge who issued the summons/subpoena that it was served. (I know you know that, but I share it anyway.)
Bulk Process Server Companies…
Pro’s:
It can be steady work!
Most of the serves are very “vanilla” (not refusing).
Since you’ll be serving a lot of packs, you’ll build experience more quickly.
Working for an established company will look good on your resume.
Biggest One: You don’t have to find clients!
Con’s:
There’s a ton of driving. (It’s rough on your car.)
You will serve a lot of low-pay packs.
You will be expected to meet your company’s goals/quota.
If you leave the company, make sure you haven’t signed a Non-Compete Agreement that keeps you from soliciting the law firms you’ve served while working for the company!
You may only get paid for successful serves (Not the attempts. And the company may require a minimum number of attempts).
Pay is low. You’ll get a small amount for each successful serve, (say $12) plus mileage. Many of these process servers live off of the mileage.
You REALLY need to set aside part of your pay for car maintenance. Imagine a $600 water pump goes out. That can un-do a lot of what you “thought” was profit! (This also applies if you run your own company.)
You gotta’ set aside money for taxes! Like I teach in The Investigator’s Ultimate Guide to Process Serving, if someone has never run a profitable business before, they can be really surprised at tax time because process serving can be very profitable. (This also applies if you run your own company.)
Software:
I don’t know what software you’ll need working for the “bulk” companies. But, if they want to sell you the software or lease it to you… you really have to do the math and see if it’s worth working for them.
Electronic Filing:
I’m sure many of the bulk companies do electronic filing these days, but they can walk you through that process. Remember, they’re always looking for professional, responsible servers!
Summary:
I had a buddy who worked for a “bulk” company. He loved the money he made and the flexible work hours, but eventually grew tired of having to serve 12 or more packets every day.
Thanks for the really good questions, Ana!
-Larry-
John 14:21