The Florida Senate

48.27  Certified process servers.--

(1)  The chief judge of each judicial circuit may establish an approved list of natural persons designated as certified process servers. The chief judge may periodically add to such list the names of those natural persons who have met the requirements for certification provided for in s. 48.29. Each person whose name has been added to the approved list is subject to annual recertification and reappointment by the chief judge of a judicial circuit.

(2)  The addition of a person's name to the list authorizes him or her to serve initial nonenforceable civil process on a person found within the circuit when a civil action has been filed against such person in the circuit court or in a county court in the circuit. Upon filing an action in circuit or county court, a person may select from the list one or more certified process servers to serve initial nonenforceable civil process.

(3)  Nothing herein shall be interpreted to exclude a sheriff or deputy or other person appointed by the sheriff pursuant to s. 48.021 from serving process or to exclude a person from appointment by individual motion and order to serve process in any civil action in accordance with Rule 1.070(b) of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.

History.--s. 3, ch. 88-135; s. 5, ch. 97-96.