Process Servers With Their “Officer of the Court” Badges Can Find More Success

Process Servers With Their “Officer of the Court” Badges Can Find More Success

            Process servers in Oklahoma who utilize an “officer of the court” badge can often find more success over those who do not.  Process Servers in Oklahoma are indeed by law considered officers of the court for the purpose of serving legal papers.  Therefore, it is important to consider having a badge made from a store such as www.thefirestore.com and to keeping it handy when out on official business.  There are many reasons why this is important, as well as times when using this type of badge is not such a good idea.

            A badge which states that a process server is an officer of the court makes him or her look more professional.  While process servers do not have the same rights and responsibilities of deputies and police officers and should not present themselves as such, badges make process servers look more official.  Unless a police officer is undercover, one would not expect him or her to perform his or her duties without wearing a badge, right?  Well, process servers are no different, and a badge can often afford extra benefits and protections to a process server.

            Sometimes getting needed information from people when a client is avoiding service can be tough to do.  At other times, individuals being served might even ask process servers for identification, which by law they are required to show.  However, putting a laminated copy of one’s license inside of the holder that process servers carry their badge around in and showing it with their badge, when appropriate, can sometimes in and of itself convince people to be more cooperative. 

Most people have no idea what or who an officer of the court is or what he or she can or cannot do.  Indeed, many could care less about providing helpful information to a process server, as they often bring bad news for the person(s) they are serving.  However, an officer of the court on official business is often a very different matter. 

Individuals process servers meet out in the field might think to themselves, “What could they do to me if I don’t help them?”  Well, in truth there is usually very little that a process server can legally do.  However, they may not know that!  What other people do not know can benefit process servers! 

Additionally, even though process servers are not involved in either side of a court case, some people may not know this and/or are unable to disassociate facts from reality.  Ergo, individuals having court papers served on them may feel less inclined to want to hurt process servers if they view them as more professional and official.  While there is no guarantee either way, it is less likely that someone will want to hurt someone bearing a badge and carrying pepper spray, a stun gun, handcuffs, etc., as opposed to a process server wearing a T-shirt and jeans.

Another excellent use of an officer of the court badge comes into play when someone is skittish about opening a door to another person he or she does not know.  Having the badge and your license there with it to present to people who ask, “Who is there?” from behind a closed door can often help people feel more at ease.  Of course, it is true that some might feel scared off by those they view as an authority figure or official – especially if they are running away from the law or have a negative mindset and/or or hold stereotypes about anyone “official.”  However, wearing this type of badge or showing it from its case is not always a plausible idea.   

There are also times when wearing a badge can negatively impact an Oklahoma process server’s ability to make the serve.  One of these examples is when a process server wants the element of surprise.  If an officer of the court goes somewhere that has a population with a proclivity to be suspicious of the police, FBI, officers of the court, etc., then wearing or flashing a badge could backfire and close many doors.  It could also encourage the gentleman or lady being served to go into hiding or flee the area altogether. 

Whether to use a badge largely depends on the population a process server is around and the best tactical approach.  Wearing an official officer of the court badge can indeed have various uses and drawbacks.  They do cost money to order, but sometimes a little investment can pay huge dividends in the field.  Essentially, it all comes down to being an important judgment call and doing a cost/benefit analysis of a badge’s worth.  For more information, please contact the excellent staff at Oklahoma Judicial Process Servers www.OklahomaJudicialProcessServers.com.