Service of Process
State-by-state requirements for serving defendants in foreclosure actions — covering sheriff service, private process servers, certified mail, service by publication, entity service, unknown parties, SCRA compliance, and proof of service.
Arizona uses registered private process servers as the primary service method — the sheriff is available but rarely used in practice. Private process servers must register with the Supreme Court and be approved by the presiding judge in their county. For non-judicial trustee sales, the trustee must provide notice by certified mail and publication under A.R.S. §33-809.
Service Methods
- 1Using an unregistered process server — service is void
- 2Failing to send §33-809 certified mail notice to all required parties in trustee sales
- 3Missing the 91-day notice period for trustee sales — sales conducted before 91 days are void
- 4Insufficient documentation of diligent search before publication
- 5Serving a corporation through the wrong agent or at the wrong address
- 6Untimely filing of proof of service — file within 20 days of service
County-Level Variations
Sheriff fees vary significantly: Pinal County ($16 + $2.40/mile), Cochise County ($56 flat + $32 process fee), Pima County ($100 deposit), Navajo County ($16 flat), La Paz County ($16 minimum + mileage). Registered process server registration is county-specific — verify the server is registered in the county where service will be made.