IPS Network Blog

Official Fee Schedule IPS Court Services provides statewide process serving and constable services throughout Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire. Below is our current fee schedule, including local service areas, statewide rates, and out‑of‑state paperwork fees. Service Areas & Fees Service Area 1 Towns and Cities Closest to Network Members: Ayer 01432 ... Shirley 01464 ... Littleton 01460 Harvard 01451 ... Groton 01450 ... Westford 01886 Boxborough 01719 ... Acton 01720 ... Concord 01742 Carlisle 01741 ,,, Chelmsford 01824 ... Dunstable 01827 Pepperell 01463 ... Winchendon 01475 ... Lunenburg 01462 Fitchburg 01420 ... Leominster 01453 ... Sterling 01564 Lancaster 01523 ... Bolton 01740 ... Stow 01775 Hudson 01749 ... Marlboro 01752 ... Sudbury 01776 Maynard 01754 ... Clinton 01510 ... Berlin 01503 Townsend 01469 ... West Townsend 01474 ... Devens 01434 Nashua, NH 03060 ... Troy, NH 03465 ... Fitzwilliam, NH 03447 Jaffrey, NH 03452 Service Fee: $75.00 Se...

How Our Subpoena Process Works Our office follows a structured, court‑compliant workflow to ensure every subpoena is drafted, issued, and served with the level of accuracy Massachusetts courts expect. Each subpoena is prepared by a Notary Public who is also a trained Paralegal, ensuring the document conforms to all applicable Massachusetts rules and formatting requirements. After the subpoena is drafted, it is formally issued by the Paralegal in his or her capacity as a Notary Public. The completed subpoena is then transferred to a Network Member who is legally authorized to serve court process. Service is carried out in accordance with all statutory requirements, and when available, GPS‑verified proof of service is provided to document the delivery. From initial preparation through final service, the entire process is handled by certified legal professionals, giving clients confidence that their subpoena has been executed properly and in full compliance with Massachusetts law. Legal A...

The Massachusetts Notary Public & Legal Support Network , operated through IPS‑Notary.com , provides a full suite of professional legal support services for attorneys, law firms, businesses, and individuals throughout Massachusetts. Our network delivers trusted notary services, apostille processing, process serving, legal support, and subpoena services. We also operate Massachusetts‑Subpoena.com — the Network’s dedicated subpoena service division, specializing in drafting, issuing, domesticating, and serving Massachusetts subpoenas. Below is a complete overview of how both platforms work together to provide seamless, statewide legal support. 🔹 IPS‑Notary.com — Core Legal Support Services 1. Massachusetts Notary Public Services      Professional notarization for: Affidavits & sworn statements Real estate documents Estate planning documents Business agreements Medical, school, and personal documents Mobile appointments available statewide. 2. Mobile & Travel...

If you have a case pending in a court outside the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and need to depose a witness who lives here, our Legal Support Network can assist with every step of the Massachusetts subpoena process. Under  Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 233, Section 45 , a witness in Massachusetts may be summoned and compelled—just as if appearing before a Massachusetts court—to give a deposition for a case pending in another state. The statute authorizes depositions to be taken before: >  A Massachusetts notary public or justice of the peace, or​ > A commissioner appointed by the court where your case is pending, with the witness compelled to appear through process issued by a Massachusetts notary or justice of the peace. ​ Our network issues deposition subpoenas in full compliance with  M.G.L. c. 233 § 45  to compel the witness to appear at the deposition you schedule with a deposition service company. Steps You Must ...

A subpoena is one of the most powerful tools available in a Massachusetts legal proceeding. Whether you need documents, testimony, or access to premises, a properly issued subpoena compels compliance under state law. This post breaks down who can issue a subpoena, how subpoenas are enforced, and provides direct links to the relevant service pages on IPS‑Notary. Who Can Issue a Subpoena in Massachusetts? ​ Massachusetts law is unusually broad in terms of who may issue a subpoena. Under Mass.R.Civ.P. 45 , M.G.L. c. 233 § 1 , and M.G.L. c. 30A § 12(3) , the following individuals and entities may issue subpoenas: 🗸 Massachusetts Notaries Public Massachusetts is one of the few states where Notaries Public have statutory authority to issue subpoenas and witness summonses. This includes subpoenas for:   ​ Testimony ( ad testificandum ) Documents-Only (no appearance) Depositions Records Subpoena (duces ...

IPS Court Services delivers professional, compliant Service of Process throughout Massachusetts, handling everything from routine civil documents to complex, time‑sensitive legal matters. As trained and authorized Process Servers and Constables, we serve subpoenas, summonses, divorce and domestic‑relations paperwork, eviction notices, probate citations, notices to quit, federal summonses, and more. Every serve includes precise, court‑ready documentation—an Affidavit or Return of Service—so your case moves forward without delay. IPS also excels in the challenging aspects of process serving. We locate hard‑to‑find individuals through skip‑tracing, conduct stakeouts when required, and manage situations involving evasive or hostile defendants with professionalism and safety awareness. When needed, we can be appointed as a Special Process Server under Mass. R. Civ. P. 4(c) , giving us statewide authority, flexible scheduling, and a single point of contact for accurate, compliant service. Ou...

An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a Notary Public. The name "affidavit" is Medieval Latin for he has declared upon oath . An affidavit is a type of verified statement or showing, or in other words, it contains a verification, meaning it is under oath or penalty of perjury, and this serves as evidence to its veracity and is required for court proceedings. Not all affidavits require a Notary Public for execution. An affidavit that will be presented as evidence in a court of law should be notarized because the Notary Public verifies the following: that the affiant (person making an affidavit) is who he says he or she is; that the affiant took an oath or affirmed under penalties of perjury that the statements contained in the affid...

A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by state government—typically by the secretary of state — to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents. These official acts are called notarizations or notarial acts. Notaries are publicly commissioned as “ministerial” officials, meaning that they are expected to follow written rules without the exercise of significant personal discretion, as would be the case with a “judicial” official. It is the foremost duty of a Notary to screen the signers of particularly sensitive instruments — such as property deeds, wills and powers of attorney — for their true identity, their willingness to sign without duress or intimidation, and their awareness of the general import of the document. Some notarizations also require the Notary to put the signer under an oath declaring under penalty of perjury that the information contained in a docume...

What is a Subpoena? A Subpoena is an order that commands a person to do any of the following: >> appear in court to testify at a hearing: >> appear in court to testify AND produce tangible evidence (photos, payroll records, etc.); >> appear before a government agency to testify and/or produce tangible evidence (photos, documents, records, etc.) for a hearing being conducted by the agency. Such agencies include the Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Administrative Law Appeals (DALA), Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), etc.; >> appear at a deposition to testify and/or produce tangible evidence. A deposition is sworn testimony taken out of court before a an officer authorized to administer oaths. Such officers can be a Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, or someone appointed by the court to take a deposition. How can a Subpoena help me? For example, if you're going through a divorce and need to see how much you...

Today I purchased a Vupoint Magic Wand Portable Photo and Document Scanner for $99 at Wal-Mart. I have to admit, it's awsome! This tool is something that will come in handy time and time again! When I am serving court documents, I always try to get a copy of the Driver's License, or other I.D., of the person I am serving. This ensures that I will have "ultimate proof" that a person was served in the event that the service is contested (which rarely ever happens). I used to snap a photo of the person's I.D. with my cell phone camera and it would come out crappy. Not anymore! This cool device enables me to easily take a very clear copy of the person's identification. Also, as a paralegal and notary public, I am constantly dealing with records and other important documents. Many times I would like to retain copies of some of the completed documents; however, since I provide mobile (traveling) services and am usually sitting at the client's home or office, t...

If you have a case pending in a court outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and need to take the deposition of a witness who resides in Massachusetts, then we can help. In accordance with Massachusetts General Law, chapter 233 section 45 : "A person may be summoned and compelled, in like manner and under the same penalties as are provided for a witness before a court, to give his deposition in a cause pending in a court of any other state or government. Such deposition may be taken before a justice of the peace or notary public in the commonwealth, or before a commissioner appointed under the authority of the state or government in which the action is pending. If the deposition is taken before such commissioner, the witness may be summoned and compelled to appear before him by process from a justice of the peace or notary public in the commonwealth." This legal support network may issue subpoenas in accordance with M.G.L. ch. 233 sec. 45 to compel the witness to appear...

A NON-MEMBER OF THE NETWORK ASKS: You declined to accept me as a [Process Server] member of your network because I was convicted of a felony three years ago. Why can't I serve as a Process Server? ANSWER: A Process Server is someone, authorized by law and court rules, who serves various types of legal process usually issued by a court of law, or an official authorized by court authority to issue process on behalf of the court (i.e.: justice of the peace, notary public). In accordance with the law, a Process Server has to be a person of high standing and character. In fact, in Massachusetts, an experienced person can be appointed as a Special Process Server under a "4(c) Motion" {Mass.R.Civ.P. 4(c) }. A "4(c) Motion" is a litigants written request (motion) to appoint a special process server for service of process in a specific case. The person asking (motioning) the court to appoint a special process server is swearing, under penalties of perjury, that the pe...

As a process server and provider of court services, I’ve encountered the police on several occasions. I’ve encountered "city cops", "state cops" and "little town cops". The demeanor of the police has taught me a lot, as I am about to explain in this blog. "CITY COPS" DEMEANOR TOWARDS PROCESS SERVERS AND/OR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES: I have been serving court paperwork in Massachusetts for nearly seven years [2002 – present]. Many times I had to serve process in a city with the assistance of "city cops". Each time the police officer who stands by to keep the peace is helpful, patient and more then willing to protect and serve. They never question my services and actually understand the role of a "process server". "City cops" don’t seem intimidated or act ignorant towards other career fields that are closely related to law enforcement. I’m sure there are a few ...

March 10, 2009 - For Immediate Press Release Attorney General Martha Coakley Obtains Judgment Against Process Server for Violating Massachusetts Consumer Protection Law Company and its Sole Officer Permanently Prohibited From Acting as Process Servers; Ordered to Pay Civil Penalties and Legal Fees BOSTON - Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office has obtained a judgment in Suffolk Superior Court against Boston-based process server Stokes & Levin, Inc. and its sole officer and director, Darren Stokes, both of whom engaged in a pattern of falsifying service of legal papers and filing those documents with state and federal courts. Judge Bruce Henry of the Suffolk Superior Court has issued a court order permanently prohibiting both Stokes & Levin and Mr. Stokes from acting as process servers or otherwise serving legal papers. Additionally, the court ordered the payment of $10,000 in civil penalties for violations of the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Law and $9,542.40 for the c...