The legal system continues to operate under increasing pressure. The Federal Court of Australia saw an 8% rise in overall filings in the 2022–23 financial year, reflecting a growing caseload and heightened demand for legal services.
With more matters moving through the Courts, the importance of efficient, accountable process serving has never been more critical. Aware of the increasing pressure, the Federal Court is striving for more stringent timelines, with three of their 2022 – 2023 performance measures relating to more timely completion of cases.
As legal professionals strive to meet these standards, firms utilising technology are streamlining their process serving and ultimately outperforming the rest.
Traditional process serving has long been a manual and, at times, an opaque process. Law firms and their clients often lack insight into where a document is, whether an attempt has been made or if service has been successful. This lack of visibility can create uncertainty, delay and risk, especially in time-sensitive matters.
One of the most common frustrations is not knowing the status of a service or being caught off guard when issues arise. Without clear updates, law firms may find themselves chasing information or reacting to problems too late.
Digital tools are reshaping how process serving is managed. They offer greater transparency, improved communication and faster timelines.
GPS-tracking and time-stamped service attempt records help establish a digital trail, supporting accountability and giving legal professionals confidence in the process. This added visibility reduces uncertainty and allows for faster, more informed decision-making.
“Technology’s greatest value in process serving is visibility. Real-time tracking and digital records replace uncertainty with clarity,” says InfoTrack’s Process Serving Product Manager, Amanda Ramos.
Beyond visibility, modern process serving tools support communication between firms and servers. Real-time notifications provide immediate updates as documents are attempted or served. If challenges arise, servers can report them straight away, ensuring legal teams can proceed without delay.
“This kind of transparency is especially useful in high-volume practices, where delays in service can have broader implications for timelines and court obligations,” says Ramos.
Compliance remains top of mind for legal professionals, particularly with rising data security threats. In 2024, Australia recorded 47 million data breaches, making it the 11th most impacted country globally. With so much sensitive client information involved in legal matters, safeguarding data is not just best practice, it’s essential.
“The risks involved with inadequate security measures are not worth it,” say Ramos. “Plus, security compliance requirements are constantly changing, which means as a law firm or process server, you are constantly needing to reconfigure your practice and processes to ensure you are staying compliant.”
Process serving platforms can store information securely, generate affidavits automatically and restrict data access to authorised users are helping legal professionals meet these new compliance standards with confidence.
“I know at InfoTrack, security is always at the forefront and constantly evolving to meet new requirements due to the shifts in compliance and cybersecurity,” says Ramos. “With our certified ISO compliance and our multiple layers of Intrusion Detection and Prevention systems, it’s become a very robust platform.”
Efficiency does not just mean speed. It is also about workflow automation and electronic document management reducing the risk of errors.
Platforms like InfoTrack’s Process Serving streamline your document serving by providing proactive prompts, giving process servers the guidance and confidence to make informed decisions in the moment. This, combined with a centralised digital workflow, keeps matters moving smoothly.
While InfoTrack’s dynamic quoting enables law professionals to see how flexible service options impact pricing, all within one visual timeline. This allows legal teams to budget more accurately and avoid delays waiting on manual quotes.
Looking ahead, process serving is likely to continue evolving. While in-person delivery remains prevalent, there are instances where documents are served by ordinary means (email, post, etc). This could imply a potential for alternative digital service methods.
In the future, legal professionals may also increasingly rely on dashboards for more intuitive, data-driven reporting to manage their serving activities. The result? More time to focus on strategic or high-value legal work and less administrative overhead.
For process servers, this could mean expanding their coverage or tailoring services by jurisdiction. For law firms, the time saved may be invested in improving client service, scaling operations or enhancing compliance.
It’s important to note, technology is not replacing process serving, it’s enhancing it. Digital tools are making the process smarter, safer and more transparent.
As firms continue to adapt to the pace and complexity of today’s legal environment, investing in the right processes and tools will be key to staying competitive and compliant.
Learn more about how InfoTrack’s Process Serving can streamline your legal document serving needs.
