The formal process by which a party named in a legal action receives a copy of the legal documents filed to start or to defend a legal action is called “service” or “being served”. There are specific rules in the Rules of Court and certain statutes which prescribe how court documents must be served. Sometimes, for example, proper service requires that you deliver documents to the other party personally; sometimes, the rules allow delivery to be made by mail. Failure to serve documents in the required manner may result in the service being found invalid.