Bill > AB747

This bill, known as the Service of Process Accountability, Reform and Equity (SPARE) Act, proposes several significant changes to how legal documents are served in California, with most provisions becoming operative on January 1, 2027. The bill aims to address issues of improper or fraudulent service of process by introducing more stringent requirements for process servers. Key provisions include mandating that county clerks maintain a publicly available register of process servers, defining "reasonable diligence" in serving legal documents as attempting personal delivery at least three times on different days and times, and requiring proof of service to include photographs with GPS coordinates and time stamps. For unlawful detainer cases, the bill will require additional details about service in the complaint, such as the date, time, and location of service. The legislation also provides more robust protections for defendants who may not have received proper notice, allowing them to challenge default judgments more easily by shifting the burden of proof to the plaintiff to demonstrate lawful service. These changes are intended to ensure greater accountability in legal proceedings and protect defendants' due process rights by preventing what courts have previously described as "'sewer service'" - a practice where process servers falsely claim to have delivered legal documents.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB747