When a party cannot be located, Pro Legal Serve can perform and document an attorney-directed diligent search, meaning a structured investigation to look for the person or a current residence. We record the sources checked, leads pursued, results found, and unsuccessful inquiries completed during the engagement.
An affidavit of diligent search and inquiry is a sworn account of the specific searches performed. It is separate from constructive service or service by publication, which are legal methods that may be available in certain matters. Counsel and the court determine authorization and sufficiency.
Known addresses are outdated, conflicting, or have already produced unsuccessful service attempts.
The case calls for a detailed account of databases, public records, contacts, address leads, and follow-up.
Counsel may be evaluating publication or another authorized service method and directs the required search scope.
The work can combine skip tracing, meaning research used to develop current contact or address leads, with documented follow-up and service attempts when directed. Each matter is scoped individually because the available identifiers, prior attempts, requested records, and deadlines differ.
Counsel sends available identifiers, known addresses, prior attempts, deadlines, and the requested scope.
Investigators check approved sources, assess viable leads, and record results and unsuccessful inquiries.
When included, PLS follows address leads, coordinates field inquiries, or attempts service at a viable location.
The affidavit identifies the subject, sources checked, dates, findings, follow-up, and final known status based on the completed work.
This nine-page example shows how one affidavit organized database inquiries, public-record searches, neighbor or occupant contacts, prior service attempts, and supporting exhibits. It is illustrative only. Actual content, sources, exhibits, signer, and format vary by matter and counsel's requirements.
Redacted illustrative example, PDF, 9 pages.
View sample PDF →It is a sworn record describing the searches and inquiries performed to try to locate a person or determine a current residence. The facts included depend on the work completed and counsel's requirements.
No. Pro Legal Serve documents investigative work and facts found. Counsel determines the required scope, legal sufficiency, filing strategy, and whether a particular service method is authorized.
Send the subject's available identifiers, last known addresses, prior service attempts, case deadline, and counsel's requested search scope. Pro Legal Serve will review the matter and provide a quote.
Yes, when service is included or added to the engagement. Pro Legal Serve can coordinate an attempt at a viable address developed during the search under counsel's direction.
Diligent search matters are manually reviewed and quoted because the search scope, available identifiers, fieldwork, supporting records, and deadlines vary.
Email the party's information, prior attempts, deadline, and counsel's requested search scope. We will review the matter and provide a quote.
Email for a manual review →Pro Legal Serve is a licensed Florida investigative agency (FL PI Agency License #A3300059), not a law firm. This page is general information, not legal advice. Counsel determines legal sufficiency, filing strategy, and whether a particular method of service is authorized.