Answered by Enjuris Editors.
Due process requires that you provide the defendant with notice of your lawsuit. This is done by serving the defendant with a complaint and summons.
The law provides several methods for properly serving a defendant. The most common method is to serve the defendant personally by handing the defendant a copy of the complaint and summons (or, by having a process server hand the defendant a copy of the complaint and summons). However, appropriate methods of service depend on the nature of the defendant and the state in which youre suing the defendant.
Keep in mind that if you don't properly serve the defendant, the defendant can have your case dismissed. For this reason, its a good idea to meet with an attorney before attempting to serve the defendant.