What Is a Registered Agent?

Individuals can be served by a process server, but so too can businesses, corporations, and other organizations. As such, when a specific entity has been served, they will need to have a Registered Agent in place. Here, we discuss what a Registered Agent is, what their responsibilities entail, and why you need one in the first place.

What Does a Registered Agent Do?

A Registered Agent can be an individual or a business organization (known as “the agent”) that is appointed by a corporation, LLC, LLP, or LP to receive legal documents on behalf of the corporate entity. Registered Agents may also be called an agent for service of process, process agent, statutory representative, or resident agent. A Registered Agent—whether they are an individual or business—must have an address for documents to be sent to.

Once a Registered Agent receives legal documents such as services of process, they will then forward those documents to the appropriate people within the corporation or organization they represent.

Why Serve a Registered Agent?

When serving papers to an individual, you only need to focus on that one person. But what happens when you must serve an entire organization? Who do the papers go to? Who will be involved in the case? Serving the Registered Agent answers all these questions and makes serving documents all that easier.

Plus, in some jurisdictions, corporations are required by law to have a Registered Agent in place. If they do not, then they run the risk of being penalized for non-compliance.

For more information on process serving in the state of New York, read through our blog or contact Reliant Court Services today.