What are potential consequences of improper service?

• A. The server may be charged with a crime.
• B. The court may dismiss, quash, or require re-service, delaying the case.
• C. The case is automatically continued.
• D. The defendant loses the right to challenge the service.

Answer: (B)

Improper service undermines due process because the defendant must receive proper notice in order for the case to proceed fairly. When service isn’t done according to the rules, the court will typically address it by dismissing or quashing the service attempt or ordering re-service, which delays the case while service is corrected. This is the standard remedy to protect jurisdiction and the defendant’s right to respond. Criminal charges against the server aren’t the usual outcome for a service defect, and the case isn’t automatically continued just because service was improper—the court’s priority is ensuring proper notice before moving forward. The defendant doesn’t lose the right to challenge service; improper service provides grounds to challenge and to require proper service.