California Private Investigator Practice Exam

When serving process, who needs to sign the proof of service?

1. The summoned party

2. Only the process server

3. Any witness present

4. The receiving attorney

The correct answer is: Only the process server

In the context of serving process, the proof of service is a crucial document that confirms that the required legal documents have been correctly served to the intended recipient. This document must be signed by the process server who performed the service. The signature of the process server indicates that they have personally delivered the documents to the party being served, thus validating the service. While other individuals such as the summoned party or an attorney involved in the proceedings may have roles in the overall process, they are not responsible for signing the proof of service. The primary purpose of the proof of service is to provide evidence to the court that the process server has fulfilled their duty in properly serving the documents, and this responsibility lies solely with the process server.