Terms of Service
Effective Date: January 1, 2025 | Last Updated: January 1, 2025
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of the website located at lightning-legal.com and the process serving, legal courier, and related services (collectively, “Services”) provided by Lightning Legal Process Service (“Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). By accessing our website or engaging our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or Services.
1. Description of Services
Lightning Legal Process Service provides the following legal support services in the State of Florida:
- Service of process (personal service, substitute service, and service by posting) pursuant to Florida Statutes Chapter 48
- Rush and same-day process service
- Skip tracing and party location services
- Service on corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and registered agents pursuant to Florida Statute §48.081
- Courthouse filing and document retrieval services in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties
- Stakeout and surveillance services for evasive parties
- Legal courier and document delivery services
All process servers employed or engaged by Lightning Legal hold active certification under Florida Statute §48.021 and are fully bonded and insured. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. For legal questions, please consult a licensed Florida attorney.
2. Client Eligibility and Account Registration
Our Services are available to law firms, licensed attorneys, paralegals acting under attorney supervision, corporations, and individuals with a legitimate legal need for process service. By engaging our Services, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age and that your use of our Services complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
Attorney accounts require the submission of Florida Bar number or equivalent professional credential. We reserve the right to verify credentials and decline service to any party at our sole discretion.
3. Service Orders and Client Responsibilities
When submitting a service order, you agree to provide:
- Accurate and complete recipient name, last known address, and physical description where required
- Properly prepared legal documents to be served (in the correct number of copies)
- The name of the court, case number, and return date where applicable
- Any special instructions relevant to effecting service
Lightning Legal is not responsible for failed or improper service resulting from inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information provided by the client. The client assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of all information submitted with a service order. Lightning Legal makes no representation that service will be successfully effected in every case, particularly where the recipient is actively evading service.
4. Affidavits of Service and Documentation
Upon successful completion of service, Lightning Legal will provide a notarized Affidavit of Service containing: the server’s certification number, the date, time, and GPS-verified location of service, a description of the person served or the manner of service, and the server’s sworn statement. For unsuccessful attempts, we provide a documented log of all attempts made.
Affidavits are delivered electronically and are prepared in compliance with Florida Rules of Civil Procedure. The client is responsible for filing affidavits with the appropriate court. Lightning Legal is not responsible for any adverse legal outcome resulting from late filing by the client.
5. Fees, Payment, and Billing
Service fees are quoted on a per-order basis. Fees vary based on service type, urgency, location, and number of attempts. We provide a binding fee quote before dispatch on all standard orders.
- Standard clients: Payment is due upon completion of service and delivery of the affidavit.
- Attorney accounts: Consolidated monthly invoicing with net-30 payment terms upon credit approval.
- Late payments: Overdue balances accrue interest at 1.5% per month (18% per annum) from the due date.
- Returned payments: A $35 returned check or failed ACH fee applies.
- Disputed charges: Billing disputes must be submitted in writing within 30 days of invoice date.
Fees for attempted (unsuccessful) service are charged at the applicable attempt rate. Rush, after-hours, holiday, and weekend service are subject to additional fees as disclosed at the time of order.
6. Cancellations and Refunds
Orders may be cancelled without charge if cancelled before a server has been dispatched to the service address. Once a server has been dispatched, a cancellation fee equal to the applicable attempt fee will be charged to cover server time and travel. No refunds are issued for completed services. If service was improperly attempted due to our error, we will re-attempt service at no additional charge.
7. Confidentiality
We treat all client information, legal documents, case details, and recipient information as strictly confidential. We will not disclose case information to any third party except as required by law or court order, or as necessary to effect service (e.g., sharing the service address with the assigned process server). See our Privacy Policy for full details on data handling.
8. Prohibited Uses
You agree not to use our Services for any unlawful purpose or in any manner that violates applicable law, including but not limited to:
- Serving documents in connection with fraudulent, harassing, or abusive legal proceedings
- Using our skip tracing services for purposes other than legitimate legal proceedings
- Providing false or misleading information in connection with a service order
- Interfering with or disrupting our website or services
- Impersonating an attorney, law firm, or other professional
We reserve the right to refuse, cancel, or terminate service to any client who violates these Terms or who we reasonably believe is using our Services for an unlawful purpose.
9. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Lightning Legal’s total liability for any claim arising from or related to our Services shall not exceed the amount paid by the client for the specific service giving rise to the claim. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of case, loss of legal deadline, attorney fees, or court sanctions arising from a failure to effect service.
Lightning Legal is not responsible for delays caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to gated communities, inaccessible buildings, incorrect addresses provided by the client, natural disasters, or acts of government authority.
10. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Lightning Legal Process Service, its owners, officers, employees, agents, and contractors from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or in any way connected with your use of our Services, your violation of these Terms, your violation of any applicable law, or inaccurate information you provided in connection with a service order.
11. Intellectual Property
All content on our website, including text, graphics, logos, images, and software, is the property of Lightning Legal Process Service or its content suppliers and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from our website content without our express written permission.
12. Disclaimer of Warranties
Our Services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that service will be successfully effected in every case or that our website will be uninterrupted or error-free.
13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or our Services shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. You hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.
Before initiating any legal proceeding, both parties agree to attempt to resolve disputes informally by contacting Lightning Legal in writing at the address below. We will attempt to resolve the dispute within 30 days of receiving written notice.
14. Modifications to Terms
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Your continued use of our Services after any modification constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.
15. Severability and Entire Agreement
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Lightning Legal with respect to your use of our Services and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.
16. Contact Us
Questions about these Terms of Service should be directed to:
Lightning Legal Process Service
9370 SW 72 ST Suite A100
Miami, FL 33173
Phone: 305-537-3225
Email: info@lightning-legal.com