Agent to receive service of process

Agent to receive service of process

What does Agent to receive service of process mean in American Law?

The definition of Agent to receive service of process in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

Persons, especially corporations which must procure a certificate of permission before doing business in a state other than their own, are ordinarily required by law to appoint in that state an agent to receive service of process. This is to assure that personal service of process, leading to jurisdiction in personam, can be effected upon

them.

In some states, statutes provide that merely by doing an act in the state, e.g., driving an automobile on the state’s highways, one automatically appoints a state official as agent to receive service of process (at least with respect to an accident involving the car in the state).

As permissible methods of acquiring in personam jurisdiction have expanded in recent years (see, e.g., long arm statute), the significance of these mandatory “agencies” has contracted.


Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *