CALSPro - California Association of Legal Support Professionals

Harassment Prevention Training. It’s the Law in CA. Are You in Compliance with AB-1825?

Posted March 7, 2013 in Education, Legislation, Membership

Assembly Bill 1825  (Government Code 12950.1) states that at least once every two years, each supervisory employee in CA is mandated to undergo at least 2  hours of classroom or other effective interactive education and training regarding the recognition, prevention and correction of sexual harassment. 2013 is a compliance year!

CALSPro provides an inexpensive ($25) online resource for providing the training and education; which includes a test and a certificate upon successful completion of the program, meeting the requirement set forth by the statute.  Simply click on this link:  http://www.myeglearn.com/CALSPro/ , or go to www.CALSPro.org , and at the top “EDUCATION” tab click the drop-down for Online Programs.  Then click on “Harassment Prevention” on the left side.  You will see a list of courses, the first of which is:

Preventing Harassment and Illegal Discrimination for Supervisors [California] – AB 1825 Compliant [Updated for 2013]

Then do the program and print the certificate.  While you’re there, check out some of the hundreds of other courses available on the site.

Cliff Jacobs
CALSPro Vice President
Continuing Education Chair

2013 CPPS Workshop & Exam Schedule

Posted January 25, 2013 in Education, Membership

CALSPro has posted the 2013 CCPS Workshop & Exam schedule at CALSPro.org/Events. There are currently 7 events scheduled for 2013 and the first 4 are open for online registration. The first of the Workshop & Exam events is scheduled for February 23rd in San Diego.

The CALSPro Certified Process Server (CCPS) designation was established to acknowledge those process servers who have extended their professional education and successfully passed the CALSPro process server certification examination. The CCPS examination is administered by the CALSPro Continuing Education Committee and consists of a series of questions relating to the law. The CCPS Exam is traditionally preceded by a workshop and the workshop and exam are offered throughout the year, throughout the state.

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Benjamin Franklin

Posted February 11, 2012 in Education

When the economy challenges you to find a worthwhile investment, wise men have said throughout the years to invest in yourself.  Your dedication to this noble profession can truly be augmented by a commitment to being the very best you can be.  That being said, this is a great time to enhance your education, and if appropriate to invest in further educating your staff and servers at a CALSPro CCPS Workshop.  While you are benefiting by absorbing knowledge that will return dividends in smarter servers, more efficient use of time, and ultimately more revenue; you can also bolster the positive light in which you and/or your company is viewed by earning your CALSPro Certified Process Server (CCPS) designation.  More and more law firms are seeking higher caliber servers handling their work, and you can meet that demand by becoming CCPS and encouraging your staff and independent contractors to do the same.

“There is no better investment that companies can make than in the education and development of their own people.” Tony Robbins

The 1^st CCPS workshop of the year will be held in San Diego on Saturday February 25, 2012.  The registration form is available here:

Workshop & Exam San Diego

Tentative Continuing Education 2012 Calendar (exact dates, when finalized, will be posted to our events page):

April 14 – Sacramento (Quality Inn – Natomas)

May 19 – Visalia

June 30 – Los Angeles

July 28 – San Jose

August 18 – Orange County

September 8 – Inland Empire

October 5 – 7 Anaheim (Annual Conference review and CCPS Exam only)

Nov 3 – Oakland / San Francisco Area

We are excited about the educational opportunities for you and look forward to seeing you soon.

Words of Advice on Preventing and Dealing with Assault

Posted November 18, 2011 in Education, Membership

First, it must be made said that the Association does not provide representation in or out of court.  Instead, we hope to impart some advice to you all based on our experience.  Part of being a member of this Association is that you, like me, get to talk to people who have “been there, done that.  Like most people who have been in this profession for any length of time have experienced those rare, scary events that make anyone’s heart beat faster.

A quick bit of advice before I proceed and I must confess that 25 years ago, I did not heed this advice (of course I had an excuse-I was not as wise then! J) and it got me into trouble sometimes.

• Don’t think you are always serving the bad guy.  Sometimes the person being served is the good guy.  Approach every serve with respect and friendliness but also firmness.
• Not everyone is evading service.  Contrary to a somewhat popular belief (Process Server Rule #1 “They are all evading!”), some people are just not home.  Don’t think otherwise until you have the facts.
• Don’t jump fences, go into backyards etc.  I’m guessing you would get slightly irritated if someone did that at your home or business.   I would.  The Penal Codes that allow some exceptions to trespass for members of our profession (P.C. 602 (n) and P.C. 602.8) do not allow trespass in all instances!
• Do your homework.  Know the law (start with reading and re-reading the Code Sections mentioned in this article), know the area, know the documents, know the parties if possible (it always is in Family Law or Unlawful Detainer cases), have good tools (GPS or maps, cell phone, camera, tape, etc.).
• If the situation gets out of control, or if you don’t like the look of it when you arrive, leave!  No serve is worth your safety.

Second, even if you do it all right, sometimes things happen.  After all, for the most part, people are not happy to see us.  If something does goes awry, then be sure to write a narrative of what happened; as soon as you can.  Events fresh in your mind are more likely to be remembered.   If law enforcement responded to the scene, then obtain the responding officer(s) name and badge number and report number (if one is available).

Keep in mind that Penal Codes 241 (Assault) and 243 (Battery) state that if a Registered Process
Server is assaulted or battered, the guilty party may be punished “by a fine not exceeding two
thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by
both the fine and imprisonment.”  Of course, there are certain requirements (a.k.a. elements)
that must be met and the battery statute allows for even more severe penalties.  You can read
these code sections, as well as the trespass statutes mentioned above, in their entirety, at
www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html.

You must be your own advocate throughout (including at the scene) this process.   Should you ask for citizen’s arrest?  Should you take pictures?  Should you get names of witnesses at the scene?  It depends!  For example, in one event recently related to me, the server asked to press charges but the officer told her that if she did, the subject probably would, and they would both go to jail.  She declined.  If officers do respond, stay calm and don’t raise your voice.  Your demeanor while talking to the officers will be perceived as your overall demeanor.  If you are a hothead, it will do you no good.  Worse, it will hurt your cause.

Perhaps you have other ideas.  I for one cannot comment or advise you on what you should do in any given situation and the Association would certainly want me to say that neither me, nor our officers, directors or any other member, are not advocating any particular response or advice.  Every situation is different and every company or person has their own ideas of how to respond to these issues, so if nothing else my hope is that this article will at a minimum generate some discussion with your boss, employees, contractors etc.  Be safe out there!

CALSPro Assault Advisor
Mark L. Schwartz
mschwartz@onelegal.com