Court papers are served around the country on a daily basis for any number of reasons, some minor and some life altering. The following situations illustrate just how varied the job of a process server can be on a daily basis.
Misunderstood Mural
If you’ve ever visited Annapolis, Maryland, you may be familiar with the restaurant called Tsunami. Located on West Street, this restaurant is fortunate enough to be situated in an area of the city that is considered historic and significant, which helps draw traffic and keep restaurant owner Gavin Buckley rather busy. Back in 2015, Tsunami received a citation for peeling paint off of the exterior of the building, so Buckley decided it was time to repaint the outside.
Rather than choosing standard paint, Buckley hired artist Jeff Huntington to create an inspired mural, but he failed to first seek the permission of the Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission. The commission viewed the mural as a significant alteration that could harm the cultural and historical significance of Tsunami’s building, so the commission members gathered and made the decision petition the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County to require a judge to determine if the commission itself can hold a hearing to choose the fate of the mural.
This required court papers being served, and in the worst case scenario, Buckley will be forced to proactively apply for approval and, if denied that approval, paint over the mural that he feels holds great artistic significance to his city.
Disappearing Treasurer
A Missouri woman who served as the Ravalli County treasurer went missing a few years ago when she was charged with official misconduct over her duties as treasurer. Though she only held her post for nine months, in those nine months she mismanaged about $780,000, leading to 58 instances of failing to perform her official duties.
The sheriff attempted to serve her multiple times at her home in Missouri, but to no avail. After six summons and two years, Valerie Stamey was finally located in South Carolina and served with papers regarding her civil lawsuit with Ravalli County. The county hopes to recuperate the thousands of dollars owed to them by Stamey so they can get their financials back in order and recover from the drama that has encompassed their area since Stamey’s disappearance.
