February 28, 2007
HOUSTON AREA PROCESS SERVERS: DEMAND REFUND!
All Servers With An "SC" Number Have Been Taken For A Ride!!!
When the Texas Supreme Court's Certification Program was implemented, process servers
were given a choice. They could choose to become certified to serve process from all Texas
counties or all counties except Harris depending on which training course they took.
Despite numerous letters and testimony opposing this arrangement, for unknown reasons,
the Court adopted this discrepancy. Depending on which course process servers chose,
those with an "SCH" number were authorized to serve process from Harris county; those
with an "SC" number were not. This resulted in a severe restriction for process servers and
attorneys in the Houston area. They were having trouble finding certified process servers in
other parts of the state that were authorized to serve their process, sometimes being forced
to utilize the constables.
The Texas Process Servers Association (TPSA) offered a course that was not valid for
certification to serve Harris county process. Apparently, the TPSA promoted its course to
servers in the Houston area even though the certification for those in that area would be
essentially useless. The TPSA should have never sold a single course to any process
servers anywhere near Harris County.
Texas Process Watch has learned that servers who took the TPSA course were told that
association leaders were promising to have their course approved for full statewide
authority. After more than a year, the Supreme Court finally removed the "H discrepancy".
However, they failed to automatically give everyone an "H". Instead, the Court is requiring
all those with an "SC" number to re-take training in order to gain authority to serve Harris
County process.
Texas Process Watch immediately submitted and open records request asking what
changes were made in the TPSA's course curriculum that would support a requirement for
re-training. The response was NOTHING!!!
All process servers with an "SC" number should be outraged and should immediately
submit letters demanding that they be elevated to full statewide authority WITHOUT being
forced to re-take AND RE-PAY for training. Even those with an "SCH" number should
support their fellow process servers and submit letters as well. Furthermore, any process
server in the Houston area who was sold a TPSA course should demand a refund for being
sold an essentially useless training certificate.
TROUBLING FACTS:
The TPSA course is now authorized for full statewide authority. Their course is one of the
most expensive in the industry at $95.00 when last checked. The TPSA pays for an
expensive lobbyist that pushes for additional restrictive industry regulation. The Court's
failure to automatically upgrade all "SC" servers has by default enabled the TPSA to commit
even more dollars to their goal of full-blown industry regulation. Whether by accident or by
design, process servers must speak up on this and other issues or they will continue to be
bullied and railroaded by the powers that be. It's YOUR industry; tell them how YOU want it
to run. Note: I submitted this very concern to the Supreme Court weeks ago. I have not
received an explanation or even confirmation that they received my email.
Process servers can submit comments to the Texas Supreme Court by email at
jody.hughes@courts.state.tx.us
Story By:
Tod E. Pendergrass
Director, Texas Process Watch
Director, The Certified Civil Process Servers Association of Texas
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