Paralegal ruins an urgent job

Subject:  Urgent Subpoena emailed to us for service in Eustis Florida

We got a call a few days ago from a legal assistant that needed a subpoena served in 8 days.  I asked if this was a rush job because we charge an extra $25 for rush services.

Red Flag #1- She asked when will routine service go out for service.  We told her no sooner than 48 hours, otherwise it would be rush.  She said fine, do the routine service.  The next day she called to ask if we had served the subpoena and left a voice mail for me.  Of course we were dismayed. We attempted to return her call but couldn't get through the receptionist/answering service.

Red Flag #2- This morning we prepared a work order for the job and noticed there was no copy of a check made out to my company.   Check copies are required after getting stiffed by one too many companies.  So we sent an email to the paralegal and reminded her that the job wouldn't go out until we had a copy of the check emailed to us.

Red Flag #3- The paralegal responded to my email and said she needed an invoice before she would send me a copy of the check.

We responded to her email and told her to find another company.  Now she has 5 days to get the subpoena served and she will definitely be paying the rush fee to another company who undoubtedly will get paid up front.

Eustis House Squatter with Foster Child

Well today I get a rush job to serve an alias eviction summons.  Respondents allegedly trashed my clients rental house in Black Bear that they were renting.   They left that house and moved into a vacant house just around the corner.  I attempted service today at the newly occupied squatter house.  The TV was on and the car (red mitsubishi florida tag PBP6Z) was in the driveway.  Windows were carefully covered up with cloth to block visibility into the house.  This service was now escalated to service evasion. I contacted my client who was on the way to Eustis from North Carolina.  I advised him that this was going to require a process server to sit at the house round the clock.  He gave me the okay to do it.   In the process of our discussion, my client revealed that the respondents had a foster child.  I immediately called the DCF hotline and gave them the info about a foster child living in a squatters home.   The foster child was hear say and I indicated that to the girl from DCF.  I provided SSN, DOB and names of respondents.  DCF asked for the new address.  But I refused to give it to them unless I was going to be with them when they knocked on the door.  DCF said that they would have a case worker come to my house, if the allegations of a foster child involvement were true, and would accompany me to the squatters house.   So I am waiting to hear from DCF.  If the foster child involvement is true, I will have succeeded in serving this alias summons without undue time and costs.

Update:

I waited outside the house at 6:15 A.M the next morning for two hours.  A rather sizable pile of garbage was picked up by the garbage man.  There were no cars in the driveway and no lights in the house were illuminated.  I thought I might catch them going to work.   But it appears they had already left.  Although their were no cars in the driveway, it was possible that they were in the garage.  I came back later in the afternoon and met with my client to knock on the door.   Upon arriving at the door I saw that the curtains had been removed that were there the preceding day to block peering eyes into the house.  Now it was clear that the house was completely vacant.  Truck tire tracks in the dirt at the front door were a clear indication of a quick move during the night.  So, even though the DCF was aware of these people, it appears that they have eluded me for the time being.  DCF will no doubt investigate this matter and in all probability have already arranged to confiscate the foster children in their care.  I asked DCF for some cooperation in their whereabouts since I gave them a boatload of information. They did not offer me any encouragement in a mutual cooperation agreement.

I was sleeping....

Divorce Papers:

The first day I arrived at 203 Fern Court, Leesburg, Florida,  I rang the bell and I heard someone come to the door and to look thru the peep hole.  There was a woman's car in the driveway, so I presumed it was the girlfriend at the door.  Respondents vehicle was not present.   I rang the bell a few more times and then left.

Afterwards the attorney told me that respondent Jerry B. was working days and arrived home between 4-5 PM.  So the next day, I decided to get there at 6:30 A.M. and wait for him t0 go to work.  When I arrived at the 203 Fern Court,  I noticed two vehicles, both covered with heavy morning dew.  I knew from the dew that neither of these vehicles have been driven since the night before.  Since I didn't want to wake these folks up, I waited and waited.  At 8:30 A.M. I rang the doorbell and once again heard someone approach the door.   But as usual no one opened the door.  So I decided I was going to ring the bell until someone came to the door.

Poor Jerry B. came to the door dressed. I identified myself and he said he was sleeping and that I was rude to wake him.  I informed him the time was 8:30 A.M., a very normal hour for any business to operate.   Jerry told me that he just got off the mid shift and was sleeping.  I told him I had been sitting outside since 6:30 and there was dew on his truck, a ford explorer, when I arrived.  He started to close the door before I finished my paperwork.  After informing him that the next person to ring his doorbell would be the police, he began to cooperate.

Pants on fire.