Frequently Asked Questions

A process server is a professional who delivers legal documents such as summonses, complaints, subpoenas, and detainer warrants to individuals or entities involved in legal proceedings. Under Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 4.01(2), process may be served by any person who is at least 18 years old and is not a party to the action.

In Tennessee courts of record (Circuit and Chancery Courts), service is governed by Tenn. R. Civ. P. 4.04. The preferred method is personal hand-delivery to the defendant. Unlike federal court or neighboring states, Tennessee strictly prohibits routine substituted abode service unless the defendant evades or attempts to evade service. Our servers document every attempt with GPS coordinates and execute a Rule 4.03 Affidavit of Service.

Our standard process serving rate in Tennessee starts at $69 per address (up to 3 attempts, first attempt within 48–72 hours). Priority Rush service (first attempt within 24 hours) is $115, and Same-Day Emergency dispatch is $165. By comparison, Tennessee county sheriffs charge a statutory $50.00 fee per person under T.C.A. § 8-21-901(a)(1)(A) with routine multi-week backlogs.

With Standard Service ($69), the first attempt is made within 48–72 hours. Priority Rush ($115) guarantees a first attempt within 24 hours, and Same-Day Service ($165) dispatches immediately on the day of submission. Registered agent serves at CT Corporation System (Knoxville), Corporation Service Company (Nashville), Northwest Registered Agent, and Registered Agents Inc. are completed on our daily courier runs.

Under T.C.A. § 20-2-106, civil process generally cannot be served on Sunday in Tennessee, and any Sunday service without statutory authorization is voidable. The sole exception under T.C.A. § 20-2-105 requires a sworn application proving the defendant is actively fleeing the state and an explicit clerk endorsement on the back of the summons.

Under T.C.A. § 24-4-101(b), a witness subpoenaed to testify in a Tennessee court of record is entitled to a $30.00 per day attendance fee (plus state-rate mileage if residing more than 10 miles from the courthouse). Under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 45.02, a non-party subpoena for medical or business records must provide at least 21 days to comply.

Under the Tennessee Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (UIDDA, T.C.A. § 24-9-201 et seq.), you submit your foreign subpoena and a conforming Tennessee subpoena to the Circuit or Chancery Court Clerk in the Tennessee county where discovery is sought. Once issued by the clerk, our process servers serve the subpoena under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 45.

You can upload your PDF summons, complaint, subpoena, or detainer warrant directly through our online Order Service page at /order. Simply select your service speed ($69 Standard, $115 Priority Rush, or $165 Same-Day), attach your files, and complete checkout.