Service of process refers to a legal procedure when a lawsuit is filed, whereby the party filing the claim (the plaintiff) must also send a copy of the lawsuit to the other party (the defendant) so the defendant knows they’ve been sued. This service of process must be sent in a very specific way that is outlined in that state’s laws of civil procedure as well as in the federal rules of civil procedure if the case is in federal court. Improper service of process can result in the case being dismissed. Every state has its own laws of civil procedure.