Houston Local Court Rules & Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
All process serving in Houston is governed by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Process Servers Texas's Harris County servers hold JBCC certification and are trained on the following key statutes:
TRCP Rule 106 — Method of Service: Personal service is the gold standard in Texas — handing documents directly to the defendant. Where personal service is not possible after diligent attempts, Rule 106(b) allows for substituted service by court order, including posting on the front door or delivery to a person of suitable age. Our servers document every attempt with GPS coordinates and timestamps to support substituted service motions.
TRCP Rule 107 — Return of Service: A complete, accurate Return of Service is essential. Any defect in the return can invalidate service and expose your client to a default judgment reversal. Our notarized affidavits include the date and time of each attempt, description of the person served (or premises if substituted service), and server's certification. Returns are delivered electronically within 24 hours of completed service.
TRCP Rule 21 — Service of Subsequent Papers: After the initial service of process, subsequent pleadings and motions may be served on the opposing party's attorney by various methods. We assist with ongoing legal courier services for case filings throughout litigation.
Texas Business Organizations Code § 5.201: For corporate defendants in Houston, service on the registered agent on file with the Texas Secretary of State is the preferred method. Process Servers Texas maintains a real-time database of registered agents and can execute corporate service within hours of receiving the citation.
For matters involving federal courts — specifically the U.S. District Court for Texas — service is governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4, which we also execute regularly.