Below you will find a short list of our most frequently asked questions. If you do not find the answer to your questions in our FAQs, please feel free to contact us by completing the contact form and the bottom of the page.
What is service by publication?
If a current address for a defendant cannot be determined, you may ask the judge to issue an order for service of summons by publication. The judge will set the rules for the publication and issue an order (Notice) to be published. At the end of the publication period, the defendant is deemed to have been served, even though he may never receive actual notice. We will provide a sample application and order upon request.
How is your service better than traditional publication in a newspaper?
We publish the court-ordered notice, as well as all documents from the court file for a longer period of time than is required by the court. See Comparison Chart.
How long do you publish the court notice?
We publish the legal notice for 3 consecutive months, rather that the court-required period of once a week for 4 weeks.
Do you publish the notice in the area where the defendant was last known to reside?
Our system of providing notice is worldwide which provides a greater opportunity for the defendant to become aware of the case against him.
How is international service by publication different from domestic publication?
They are basically the same. Our system publishes the legal notice globally, rather than in just the local area where the defendant was last known to have resided.
How does electronic service by publication offer a better chance of actual notice to a defendant of the existence of a pending legal case?
- There is a wider distribution of information,
- the defendant can perform a search engine inquiry for their name and country and it will turn up in the first page on such searches as Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.,
- we send an email notice to the defendant directing them to our website where their case is found.
Do I need a court order to allow me to publish the summons?Do I need a court order to allow me to publish the summons?
Yes. Step one is to file an Application for Service of Summons by Publication. You can request a sample at www.globallegalnotices.com/request-a-notice/. Once the judge approves the order, we will publish the notice and other court documents.
Why do some countries not allow for service by publication?
Many newspapers in some countries, particularly the Middle East, do not accept notices by publication. They claim it is a cultural issue where such publication is considered “public humiliation.”
How does service by email increase the chances that a defendant will know about the case?
As part of our service, we attempt to notify the defendant, via email, that a case has been filed against him with a link to the specific page where the court documents can be found.
Why does it no longer make sense to publish in a local newspaper?
Print newspapers are rapidly becoming obsolete. Readership has fallen dramatically in recent years and most people now obtain their information from online sources. Our system is viable for all forms, such as desktop, tablet, and cellphone.
Since you are not a traditional newspaper, why is your system of publication better?
We publish the legal notice globally (not just locally), we publish for a longer period than is required (3 months as opposed to 4 weeks), we include all court documents (not just the notice), we attempt to notify the defendant of the case via email, and the defendant case search his name and country and find the specific page on our website where the court documents are found.