Service of Process or SOP is the official delivery of legal documents to a company to notify it that it’s involved in a legal matter.
What it means for a business
Instead of serving an entity directly, legal papers are typically delivered to the company’s registered agent (e.g., Discern).
Common documents served
Lawsuits (complaints and summons)
Motion or Order
Garnishment
Subpoenas
Government notices (e.g., compliance or regulatory actions)
How it works
Every business entity (LLC, corporation, PLLC, etc.) must list a registered agent when it’s formed.
When someone needs to take legal action against the business, they look up the current registered agent and address (public information) and serve the documents to that agent.
The registered agent is responsible for forwarding those documents to the appropriate people within the company.
Discern, takes this a step further by digitally categorizing the SOP alerting you immediately via email.
Why it matters
It ensures the business is properly notified and has a chance to respond (part of Due Process)
Missing or mishandling service can lead to serious consequences, like default judgments (losing a case automatically for not responding)
If someone sues an LLC, they don’t usually track down the owner - they send the legal documents to the LLC’s registered agent. Once delivered, the business is considered officially notified.
Where do SOPs live in Discern?
A record of every Service of Process document received can be found in a dedicated section within Discern, making it easy to view and search any incoming legal notices.
Once in this section, you’ll find a set of filters that let you narrow results by Service of Process type, as well as where and when the documents were received. You also have the ability to download any of the documents or view them in the platform:
As a reminder, all SOPs are sent to the designated contact under System Settings > Email Preferences.