Show Notes:

In this episode of Process Server Daily, host Mighty Mike Reid interviews Michael Santos, a veteran process server with decades of experience in California and now Oregon. Michael shares powerful field stories that highlight the human side of process serving, including emotionally difficult serves, high-risk situations, and one unforgettable subpoena service at a strip club that required tact, strategy, and professionalism.

The conversation covers safety in the field, treating servees with respect, adapting to different state laws, and rebuilding a business from scratch after relocating. Michael also shares practical advice on tools, body cameras, skip tracing, client acquisition, and why associations and community matter in this industry. The episode closes with actionable guidance for new and experienced servers alike on communication, navigation, and professionalism.

00:00 Introduction & Michael’s background
01:30 Growing up in a family of process servers
03:45 Worst field experience: serving during personal tragedy
07:10 The emotional reality of serving papers
09:40 Treating servees as people, not paperwork
11:30 Funniest serve: subpoena at a strip club
16:10 Professionalism and verbal control in tense situations
18:40 Relocating from California to Oregon & starting over
22:00 Major legal differences between CA and OR process serving
25:10 Safety, body cameras, and self-protection in the field
27:40 Tools, software, and skip trace tactics
29:30 Client acquisition: targeting paralegals, not attorneys
31:00 Final advice for Server Nation