Serving More Than One Person in a Michigan Case

How our servers serve each person named in one case, and how the proof of service records each serve

When one case names two or more people, a process server serves each person on their own. Each person gets their own set of papers, and each serve has its own record of attempts. The signed proof of service we return shows every serve. This page covers how our servers handle a Michigan case with more than one person to serve.

The rule the server works under

Under MCR 2.105(A)(1), service on a person is made by "delivering a summons and a copy of the complaint to the defendant personally." The rule speaks to one person at a time. When we are asked to serve three people in one case, the server makes three separate serves.

Under MCR 2.103(A), process "may be served by any legally competent adult who is not a party or an officer of a corporate party." Our servers are adults who are not part of the case. More on this is in Who Can Legally Serve Court Papers in Michigan.

One full set of papers for each person

Before the first attempt, the server counts the people to be served and checks the papers. Each person needs a summons and a copy of the complaint to be handed to them. If a set is missing, the server flags it before anyone goes out.

The papers can arrive in more than one shape. MCR 2.102(A) says the court clerk issues the summons, and that "A separate summons may issue against a particular defendant or group of defendants." Either way, the server makes sure every person on the list has a complete set.

Checking the date on each summons

Every summons shows "the last date on which the summons is valid," as MCR 2.102(B)(8) requires. Under MCR 2.102(D), "A summons expires 91 days after the date the summons is issued." The server reads the date on each summons first and plans each serve to happen before it. More on this window is in The 91-Day Summons Window in Michigan.

Two people at the same address

Many cases name a couple, roommates or family members who live together. The server hands each person their own set of papers and says they are court papers. The server does not leave one person's papers with the other person.

If only one of them is home, the server serves that person and records it. The server then comes back for the other person at a different time. Each attempt for each person is written down with its own date and time.

People at different addresses

When the people live or work in different places, each serve gets its own plan. One person may be served on the first try, while another takes several visits at different times of day. We serve anywhere in Michigan, so the people do not need to be in the same city or county.

The server keeps working on each person who has not been served yet. Every attempt is logged, so you can see where each serve stands. More on that record is in How a Michigan Process Server Documents Each Service Attempt.

A person and their company in the same case

Some cases name a person and a business that person runs. The business is served through a person the rules name. For a corporation, MCR 2.105(D)(1) names "an officer or the resident agent." For a limited liability company, MCR 2.105(H)(1) names "the managing member, the non-member manager, or the resident agent."

Sometimes the same person fills both roles. The server then hands that person two sets of papers in one visit, one for the person and one for the company, and says which is which. The proof of service records each serve on its own. More on business serves is in Serving a Michigan LLC, Corporation or Other Business.

When one person is hard to find

It is common for one person to be served quickly while another is hard to reach. The server keeps trying for that person at new times and places. If that person has moved, a skip trace can be added to the serve as an add-on to find a current address.

If the papers still cannot be handed to one person, you get a dated record of every attempt for that person. Any next step is for you and your attorney.

How each serve is written down

When the papers change hands, we return a signed proof of service. Under MCR 2.104(A)(3), a process server's proof is a written statement, verified under MCR 1.109(D)(3), that "shall include the manner, time, date, and place of service." When more than one person is served, the proof gives those facts for each person.

Say one person was served at home on a Monday morning and another at work on a Thursday afternoon. The proof shows each time and each address. The server signs it with a declaration made "under the penalties of perjury," the wording MCR 1.109(D)(3) sets out, so every detail has to be exact. More on the proof is in Proof of Service in Michigan: What MCR 2.104 Requires.

What to send when more than one person is named

Most delays in a case like this come from a missing detail about one of the people. Sending the following with the request removes most of them.

  • The papers to be served, as issued by the court, for each person named.
  • Each person's full name, plus a recent photo or a short description.
  • Each person's home and work address, if you have them. More is in What Your Process Server Needs Before the First Attempt.
  • Who lives together, so the server can plan one visit for both people.
  • Any company named in the case, and who runs it.
  • How to reach you: a phone number or a mailing address.

What a process server does not do

Our part is narrow on purpose. We take papers that are ready to serve, hand them to each person named on them, document every attempt, and return a signed proof of service.

We do not prepare papers, give legal advice or help with forms. We are not a law firm and we are not a court. Talk to your attorney about your case.

If your papers are ready to serve, request a process server or call (248) 268-0097.

Sources

This article describes how a process server serves more than one person named in a Michigan case. It quotes the rule language as published by the Michigan Supreme Court, read November 11, 2026. It is general information about process serving in Michigan, not legal advice.