What is the difference between 'substituted service' and 'constructive service' in AZ terms?

• A. Constructive service always requires publication.
• B. Substituted service is a form of personal service on a substitute, while constructive service typically refers to service by publication; both have specific procedural requirements.
• C. Substituted service only applies to corporations.
• D. There is no difference between the two concepts.

Answer: (B)

In Arizona, when you can’t hand the papers to the defendant, two distinct routes cover how notice is given. Substituted service is a form of personal service that happens when you deliver the papers to a substitute—someone at the defendant’s usual residence or place of business—or to an authorized agent after you’ve made reasonable efforts to locate the defendant. It remains a direct, physical delivery to someone connected to the defendant, and you still file a return showing who received the documents and how.

Constructive service, by contrast, is notice given without delivering to the defendant. It is typically used when the defendant can’t be located or served personally, and it usually means notice by publication in a newspaper (the classic form) and, depending on the jurisdiction, may involve other steps like posting. The goal is to create legal notice even though you never actually hand the papers to the person.

So the key difference is the method of notice: substituted service relies on delivery to a substitute person; constructive service relies on public notice by publication (and related methods) rather than direct delivery. The other choices stray because substituted service isn’t limited to corporations, constructive service isn’t always tied to a single rigid method, and the two are not the same in practice.