Category: Blogs & Whitepapers

Man Who Is a Process Server Standing At The Entrance Of a House Knocking The Door to serve papers

What is a Process Server and What Do They Do?

Posted on

Imagine you’re involved in a legal matter—maybe it’s a lawsuit, a divorce, or a business dispute. At some point, someone has to serve official legal documents to the other party, making sure they know about the case and their legal responsibilities. This is where a process server gets involved. You might have heard the term before, but what exactly is a process server, and why do they play such a critical role in the legal system?

What is a Process Server?

A process server’s job is to officially serve legal documents to the individuals or parties involved in a case. These documents can include subpoenas, summons, complaints, and other papers that require immediate attention. The process server ensures that the recipient is informed about their legal responsibilities, enabling them to respond appropriately.

This might seem straightforward, but without process servers, legal cases could stall or even fall apart. Courts rely on process servers to provide proof that the necessary individuals have been notified, a crucial step to ensuring due process is maintained and that everyone involved has an opportunity to defend their rights. Process servers are the bridge between the legal system and the individuals who must answer to it, keeping cases moving forward.

Ensuring Legal Documents Are Served Correctly

When it comes to serving legal documents, accuracy is everything. A process server doesn’t just hand over papers—they need to make sure that the correct person receives them. This process, called “service of process,” ensures that all parties are aware of their legal obligations and can respond within the required time frame. If documents are not served correctly, the entire case can be delayed or jeopardized.

Process servers must follow strict guidelines, which vary from state to state. These regulations might dictate when, where, or how documents can be served. Failing to follow these rules can cause serious issues for the case, including delays or dismissals. Hiring a professional process server with knowledge of state regulations is essential for making sure legal notifications are handled properly.

Accuracy is critical because even a minor mistake—such as serving the wrong person or serving papers outside of permitted hours—can have significant legal consequences. Process servers also provide proof of service, often in the form of a signed affidavit, which is required by the court to confirm that the serve was completed according to legal standards.

Types of Documents Served by Process Servers

Process servers are responsible for serving a variety of legal documents. Some of the most common include:

  • Subpoenas: Orders for individuals to testify in court or provide evidence.
  • Summons and Complaints: Notifications that someone is being sued, along with instructions on how to respond.
  • Writs: Court orders directing someone to perform a specific action, such as paying a debt.
  • Eviction Notices: Documents that legally require tenants to vacate a property.

The Challenges of Being a Process Server

Process servers face several challenges, including individuals who avoid being served and occasionally hostile recipients. Serving legal documents often requires persistence and creativity, such as visiting multiple locations or attempting to serve at different times. Despite these difficulties, process servers must stay professional, respectful, and follow the law closely to ensure every document is served correctly. Patience and professionalism are essential for their success.

Legal Compliance and Accuracy

A process server’s work is governed by state-specific laws, such as restrictions on serving times and locations. These regulations must be followed precisely to ensure valid service. Failure to comply can result in delays or case dismissal, making it essential to hire an experienced process server. Process servers also provide proof of service, usually in the form of an affidavit, which is crucial for court recognition and the continuation of the case.

Why Process Servers Matter

Process servers play a critical role in ensuring that the legal system functions properly. By serving essential legal documents, they guarantee that everyone involved in a case has the information they need to respond appropriately. Without process servers, legal cases could face significant delays or even be dismissed entirely due to improper service.

Their work helps ensure fairness in legal proceedings by making sure that all parties are notified and given the opportunity to present their case. In this way, process servers help uphold the rights of individuals and maintain the integrity of the judicial system. While their role may seem behind the scenes, process servers are essential to keeping the legal process transparent and on track.

In need of a process server? Schedule depositions and serve the subpoenas all in one place with Magna Legal!

Magna Legal Services Partners with ERSA Court Reporters

Posted on

Magna Legal Services Partners with ERSA Court Reporters

PHILADELPHIA, PA—Magna Legal Services (Magna LS), an ALM award-winning leader in court reporting, medical record retrieval and litigation consulting, has merged with ERSA Court Reporters, a prominent court reporting firm based in Philadelphia. Founded over twenty years ago, ERSA has established itself as a key player in the Pennsylvania market. The merger, effective September 16, was facilitated by Chase Culbertson, Head of M&A at Magna Legal Services.

ERSA’s founders, Laura Grosso and David Damiani, will continue to lead the ERSA team, ensuring a seamless transition and maintaining the firm’s strong reputation. This merger unites two industry leaders, creating one of the largest litigation support and consulting firms in the country. Together, the companies boast a workforce of over 700 employees, 4,000 court reporters, 2,000 interpreters and 100 litigation consultants across 28 locations nationwide. Clients of ERSA will now have access to Magna’s full suite of services, including document translation, interpreting, medical record retrieval, social media surveillance, visual communications, jury consulting, and nationwide court reporting services.

“Joining forces with our local competition, Magna Legal Services, will take our ability to be the best in quality of service in the Philadelphia marketplace to the next level. Their diversity in service lines will result in opportunities for increased savings by way of bundling services like medical record retrieval, investigations, trial graphics and jury research services,” said ERSA’s founder, David Damiani.

Tony Vaglica, COO of Magna Legal Services, added, “This merger enhances our service offerings and strengthens our commitment to delivering the best support to our clients. We are excited to integrate ERSA’s exceptional talent and expertise into our team, paving the way for innovative solutions in the litigation support world.”

Mark Williams, CEO of Magna Legal Services, expressed his enthusiasm for the merger, stating, “We are excited to combine the best practices from both organizations to forge a stronger future together. This partnership is an important step forward, creating new opportunities for our clients, employees, and court reporters.”

Magna Legal Services Acquires Bosco Legal Services, Expanding Capabilities and Reach

Posted on

Magna Legal Services Acquires Bosco Legal Services, Expanding Capabilities and Reach

Magna Legal Services has acquired Bosco Legal Services, a leading provider in legal investigations, record retrieval, and process serving.

PHILADELPHIA, July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Magna Legal Services, a leading provider of litigation support services, is pleased to announce its acquisition of Bosco Legal Services, a premier firm specializing in legal investigations, record retrieval, and process serving. Established in 1988, Bosco has over 30 years of experience providing legal support to law firms and insurance companies nationwide. This strategic acquisition enhances Magna’s comprehensive suite of services, further solidifying its position as an industry leader. Effective July 1, 2024, the merger was facilitated by Chase Culbertson, Head of M&A at Magna Legal Services. Bosco’s owners, Jeremiah, Joseph, and Job Jones, will continue to lead the Bosco team within Magna.

Joseph Jones, President at Bosco Legal Services, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition, stating, “We’ve been approached for years by large companies that wanted to acquire Bosco, but we’ve refused, because we’re committed to ensuring our clients have the best service available and all team members are well taken care of, priorities that are a rarity with larger organizations looking to do acquisitions. In this partnership with Magna, we feel we’ve found the perfect fit so our valued clients & team members will continue to be a top priority. This union will only add fuel to the fire of what’s already made us great.” Jeremiah Jones, CEO of Bosco Legal Services, added, “Our team at Bosco has always been dedicated to delivering exceptional service. With Magna’s resources and expertise, we are poised to elevate our offerings and continue our tradition of excellence.”

With the addition of the Bosco team, Magna’s workforce now exceeds 800 employees in 24 locations across the U.S., positioning the combined company as one of the largest litigation support and consulting firms, both in terms of scale and range of services offered. Bosco’s clients will now have easy access to Magna’s full suite of services, including court reporting, document translation, interpreting, medical record retrieval, social media surveillance, visual communications, and jury consulting services.

Jonathan Ackerman, Executive Vice President of Record Retrieval and Co-Founder at Magna Legal Services, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Bosco Legal Services into the Magna family. Their reputation for reliability and professionalism aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering superior litigation support solutions.” Mark Williams, CEO of Magna Legal Services, remarked, “The acquisition of Bosco Legal Services represents a significant milestone for Magna. This partnership not only expands our capabilities but also enhances our ability to serve our clients with unparalleled efficiency and expertise.”

The integration of Bosco Legal Services into Magna Legal Services will provide clients with access to an even more robust suite of services, including enhanced legal investigations, seamless record retrieval, and comprehensive process serving. This acquisition underscores Magna’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the legal services industry.

Magna Legal Services Partners with Zanaras Reporting & Video

Posted on

Magna Legal Services aquires Zanaras Reporting & Video. Both based in Philadelphia, the united company is one of the largest litigation support and consulting entities in the U.S.

Magna Legal Services (Magna LS), an ALM award-winning court reporting, medical record retrieval and litigation consulting industry leader, and Zanaras Reporting & Video announced today the combination of their firms. Both companies, headquartered in Philadelphia, were founded in 2007, reflecting a shared commitment to excellence and longevity in the industry. The two companies combined operations on November 13, 2023.

With a workforce of 658 employees and over 4,000 court reporters, 2,000 interpreters and 100 litigation consultants in 28 locations across the U.S., the union of Magna LS and Zanaras positions the united company as one of the largest litigation support and consulting firms, both in terms of scale and the range of services offered. Clients of Zanaras will now have easy access to Magna’s full suite of services, including document translation, interpreting, medical record retrieval, social media surveillance, visual communications, jury consulting, and nationwide court reporting services.

“I am thrilled to embark on this exciting journey with Magna Legal Services. The shared commitment to excellence and innovation aligns seamlessly with the values that have defined Zanaras Reporting & Video since its inception,” said Zanaras’ founder, Julie Zanaras. “Our team looks forward to contributing our expertise within the Magna family, ensuring an even more robust and comprehensive suite of services for our valued clients.”

Peter Hecht, Co-Founding Partner and Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Magna Legal Services, added, “Welcoming Zanaras into the Magna Legal Services family marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing unparalleled legal support services. The union of our strengths enhances our ability to meet and exceed client expectations and provides clients of Zanaras additional service offerings to support their cases.”

Mark Williams, CEO of Magna Legal Services, extended his excitement about the merger, stating, “We look forward to taking the best practices of both of our organizations to create a better and stronger future together.  We are confident this is another partnership that will continue to create more opportunity for our clients, employees, and court reporters.”  

About Magna Legal Services

Magna is a leading provider of litigation support services to law firms, insurance companies, and corporations, offering a broad array of services that support clients through each phase of the litigation process, including court reporting, graphics design, jury consulting, record retrieval, and translation services.

Magna Legal Services Acquires City Record Services, Strengthening Record Retrieval Capabilities in California

Posted on

Magna Legal Services Acquires City Record Services, Strengthening Record Retrieval Capabilities in California

Magna Legal Services solidifies its position as a nationwide leader in record retrieval and litigation support with the acquisition of City Record Services

Magna Legal Services, LLC, a prominent player in the litigation support and consulting services industry, proudly announces the acquisition of City Record Services (CRS), headquartered in San Diego, CA. The acquisition was successfully concluded on October 18, 2023. This development underscores Magna’s commitment to enhancing its support for the rapidly expanding service line, Record Retrieval, particularly in California and the West Coast.

CRS, boasting over two decades of experience, has grown into one of the leading record retrieval firms, serving the legal community in San Diego and in all of California. City Record Services particularly strengthens our Los Angeles law firm office. The company has earned a solid reputation for fast and reliable collection of medical and other records for attorneys, adjusters, and self-insured municipalities and corporations, particularly in workers compensation defense.

CRS’s founders, Aaron and Marcene Drysdale, will continue to lead the CRS team in collaboration with Jonathan Ackerman, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of the Record Retrieval division at Magna LS, overseeing the day-to-day operations. “We look forward to leveraging this collaboration to continue our mission of delivering exceptional record retrieval services to our valued clients and to pioneer new standards of excellence in the field,” Marcene Drysdale commented. Jonathan Ackerman added, “Magna and CRS clients are the big winners in this merger. Both firms were founded upon a culture that the client comes first. The increased bandwidth, expertise and innovation will quickly lead to an unrivaled client experience.”

With a workforce of 653 employees and over 4,000 court reporters, 2,000 interpreters and 100 litigation consultants in 24 locations across the U.S., the union of Magna LS and CRS positions them as one of the largest litigation support and consulting firms, both in terms of scale and the range of services offered. Clients of CRS will now have easy access to Magna’s full suite of services, including court reporting, document translation, interpreting, social media surveillance, visual communications, jury consulting, and medical record retrieval services.

“We are delighted to welcome the CRS team to the Magna family,” Magna Legal Services CEO, Mark Williams, said. “We look forward to taking the best practices of both of our organizations to create a better and stronger future together.”

Click below to review our Record Retrieval services or to request a record!

Record Retrieval Services

Chopped for CHOP 2023 Conference Photos

Posted on

Magna Legal Services’

Chopped for CHOP 2023

The 9th annual Chopped for CHOP raised $35,300 for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The fundraiser CLE conference, hosted by Magna Legal Services featured four of the best trial attorneys in the nation competing in a mock trial challenge. The program was held on June 21st & 22nd at the Borgata in Atlantic City and was attended by over 200 legal and insurance professionals from across the US.

“We’ve been raising money and awareness for CHOP since 2009, and our Chopped for CHOP event allows us to create exciting experiences and foster connections while doing so,” said program producer Peter Hecht.

The program’s competitors included:

Chopped for CHOP is one of the three annual unique & interactive conferences produced by Magna. “It is not only a great event to network, but a great event to learn,” noted Chopped for CHOP 2023 Champion, Jerry Hamilton, who is still holding that title for last year.

Magna’s “Edutainment” programs connect attorneys, corporate counsel and claims professionals, creating memorable experiences and the opportunity to learn from each other.

Conference Photos

Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image
Image gallery image

Thank you to our Sponsors

View Upcoming Conferences & Events

Magna Legal Services Acquires TrialGraphix

Posted on

Magna Legal Services Doubles the Size of their Litigation Consulting Team with the Acquisition of TrialGraphix

PHILADELPHIA, March 16, 2023 — Magna Legal Services (Magna LS), an ALM award-winning litigation consulting and support provider of jury consulting, visual communications, court reporting, medical record retrieval, and language services, and TrialGraphix, a visual communications company, announced the combination of their firms.

The two companies will combine operations on March 16, 2023, with partners Guy Joubert, Tony Canzanella, Dave Johnson, Scott Carlin, and Adam Brucks all joining Magna.

With more than 700 employees, 100 litigation consultants, 3,500 court reporters, and 2,000 interpreters in 22 locations across the U.S., together, Magna LS and TrialGraphix will be one of the largest litigation support and consulting firms both in size and services offered.

TrialGraphix clients will now have easy access to Magna’s full-suite of services, including jury consulting, court reporting, document translation, interpreting, social media surveillance, visual communications, and medical record retrieval services.

Founded in 2006, “TrialGraphix became the industry leader by focusing on powerful visuals and the technology to present evidence in court,” said TrialGraphix Managing Partner Guy Joubert. “Partnering with Magna allows us to support our clients with new strategic resources to enhance their case outcomes. We are thrilled about the next chapter for our clients and team.”

“I have been impressed by TrialGraphix for many years and I am delighted to have them join my team at Magna LS,” added Founding Partner and Executive Vice President of Litigation Consulting at Magna LS, Mark Calzaretta, “Our combined forces cement Magna’s position as the nationwide leader in providing trial lawyers with jury, graphics, and trial technology consulting services. Together, we have the deepest bench of experienced professionals available.”

“We are overjoyed to welcome the TrialGraphix team to the Magna family. TrialGraphix built one of the most respected brands in litigation consulting. I am delighted that the entire management team and partners will continue with us at Magna LS,” added Magna Legal Services CEO Mark Williams.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAPHICS SERVICES

Jury Consulting for High-Value Cases

Posted on

Preventing Nuclear Verdicts with Jury Consulting

When your case has millions on the line, jury consulting can be instrumental in preventing your case from exploding.

What are some factors which can cause a nuclear verdict?

  • A case that makes jurors upset – either fearful, angry, or both
  • Highly sympathetic plaintiffs, or an entire family
  • A case involving gruesome injuries (such as burns) or particularly sensitive injuries – physical or mental/emotional
  • Bad company documents, internal memos
  • Bad optics surrounding company conduct
  • The appearance that a corporate defendant does not prioritize safety or puts profits over people
  • Evidence that a company violated its own policies

What does a Jury Consultant do?

A jury consultant assists parties during all phases of litigation to ensure they are presenting the most effective, compelling position possible given the available evidence and witnesses and considering the eventual audience – the jury.

Jury Consulting & Research Exercises for
High-Value Cases

A jury comes with a set of opinions, biases and prior knowledge of the parties that will no doubt influence their conclusions, even if they are advised to put those notions to the side.

The trial team must build their case strategy and construct their arguments with their audience in mind.

Early-Intervention Jury Research

Early-intervention jury research will answer:

  1. Where do we stand?
  2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of our position as well as our adversary’s position?
  3. How do we need to develop the case and build out our narrative?

These early-intervention exercises will take place during (and even pre-) discovery. They can include:

Witness Preparation

Witness training prior to key depositions as well as in preparation for trial is crucial to keep the case contained.

Prepare your key witnesses prior to their depositions to make sure they stay on message, remain faithful to their side of the story, and not fall prey to reptile tactics.

Preparing for Trial

When discovery is nearing an end or is closed, the trial team will benefit from more adversarial testing such as single or multi-day mock trials (online or in-person).

During the trial, Magna’s consultants can assist the trial team with:

  • Voir Dire & Jury Selection Consulting
  • JuryScout: prospective juror background and social media searches
  • Shadow Jury
  • Trial Monitoring & Consulting
  • Witness Preparation

Getting Started

Our experienced jury consultants use a multi-phase jury research methodology to ensure the statistical reliability and robustness of our findings

Request a free case consultation with Magna today to see how we can assist you in providing the best possible representation for your clients.

Request a Complimentary Case Consultation

READ MAGNAFYI NEWSLETTER FEB 2023

Graphic Designer vs. Graphics Consultant

Posted on

What is the difference between a Graphic Designer & a Graphics Consultant?

Visual components are the main elements that help your jury understand and retain information.

Expert graphics consultants provide demonstratives that effectively communicate technical, financial, medical and other complex information.

Click below to learn more or to request a complimentary case consultation with an expert graphics consultant.

Request a Free Case Consultation
Learn More

Visual Commuication: Controlling the Story

Posted on

Controlling the Story with Trial Graphics

When presenting your trial story, the picture each juror is painting in their minds will vary from juror to juror. Using visual communications will help control the story you are trying to tell, and help alleviate past experiences and biases.

Control the narrative with trial graphics. Click below to learn more or to request a complimentary case consultation with an expert graphics consultant.

Request a Free Case Consultation
Learn More