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Just hit 100 small claims cases filed pro se in Chicago since 2019
Didn't realize I'd gotten that far until I counted the case numbers on my spreadsheet last night. For anyone else handling their own landlord-tenant disputes, how do you handle serving Cook County defendants who keep ducking the process server?
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fiona_kim977d ago
Try getting a judge to allow service through electronic means like email or even social media. I've seen a few people pull that off in Chicago housing court when the tenant is actively ghosting and the address listed is clearly a fake or a mail drop. You have to show you exhausted normal methods first, but once you document that they're ducking, some judges will sign off on sending the summons via DMs or a verified email. It's a stretch but it works when they think they're untouchable.
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pat_murray537d ago
Honestly, get a judge to order alternative service after two failed attempts, the Cook County courts grant that pretty quick for evasive tenants. Special process servers who know the dodgy addresses are worth the extra cash, they've got tricks regular guys don't. Ngl, leaving the papers with a building manager or posting on the door after court approval is the only way to stop the games.
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