2. Someone other than the sheriff serves your papers

If you want someone you know to serve your papers, they must be:

• 18 years old or older, and
• Not part of your case (example: Your server cannot be someone who is protected by the restraining order).

You cannot serve your papers yourself. You can also hire a professional process server or have the sheriff serve your court papers for free. 

Your server must deliver your papers by a deadline before your court date (hearing date).   

To see when your deadline for service is, look at item 4 on form GV-710.

You can always serve before the deadline. 

You will need to give your server copies of the following forms to deliver:

• Request to Renew Restraining Order (form GV-700), including a copy of your restraining order (form GV-130)
• Notice of Hearing to Renew Restraining Order (form GV-710)
• A blank Response to Request to Renew Restraining Order  (form GV-720) (for the restrained person to complete).

You will also need to give your server form GV-200 for your server to complete (not deliver). For form GV-200:

• You should fill out items 1 and 2 of the form.
• Your server will complete the rest of the form.

Once you have given your server a copy of your court papers and form GV-200, ask your server to:

1. Hand the court papers to the restrained person
2. Complete form GV-200
3. Return a completed copy of form GV-200 to you so you can file it with the court clerk

Once you get the Proof of Service form back from your server:

1. Make at least 1 copy
2. Take the original and the copies to the court clerk. The clerk will file the original. The clerk will also stamp and return the copies to you. The copies are for you to keep.
3. Keep a copy of the Proof of Service and a copy of your restraining order with you at all times.  Make sure you bring them to your court date too.