Reviewed Date: 05-19-26
Reference: MPP 5-07/310.10, 5-07/340.00
PURPOSE OF ORDER:
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for serving legal documents to inmates and employees on Pitchess Detention Center (PDC) property.
SCOPE OF ORDER:
This order applies to all personnel assigned to and working at the PDC main gate.
ORDER:
Only active/on-duty Sheriff’s Department personnel shall be allowed to enter PDC property to act as process servers.
Service of legal documents shall be allowed on PDC property during each facility’s posted attorney room visiting hours by process servers who are licensed by a County in the state of California, or a public process service company. Proof of licensing shall be presented with the process servers State issued driver’s license.
Process servers who need to serve an inmate or employee with legal documents are not credentialed by a County, or any other public process service company (i.e., private citizens), shall be denied entry and directed to hire a process service company, or contact the Chatsworth Courthouse - Sheriff’s Civil Management Office at (818) 576-8800, which is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm for assistance.
A deputy or court services specialist from the Sheriff’s Civil Management Office at the Chatsworth Courthouse will serve the legal documents on PDC property. They Process servers shall bring the legal documents directly to the facility where the inmate respondent is housed, or the employee respondent works. When needed, main gate personnel shall assist any Sheriff’s Civil Management Office personnel process servers in locating any respondent and directing them to the facility. The Sheriff’s Civil Management Office personnel serving the legal documents shall handle the filing of “proof of service.”
The only documents that shall be delivered to inmates are legal documents intended to notify inmate respondents of legal action against them. The attorney visiting room attendant shall check the documents to make sure they are legal documents, and no contraband is being passed.
Revision Date 12/03/24
Revision Date 07/27/22
01/21/21 SOUF