When is service by publication used in Arizona?

• A. As a first method of service.
• B. As a last resort when the defendant cannot be located after due diligence, to obtain jurisdiction for certain proceedings.
• C. Only for international defendants.
• D. When the defendant has filed for bankruptcy.

Answer: (B)

Service by publication is a last-resort method used when you cannot locate the defendant after reasonable due diligence and you still need to obtain jurisdiction for the proceeding. In Arizona, you first try more direct methods of service (personal service, service by other permitted means). If those fail, you document your efforts to locate the defendant—checking last-known addresses, public records, employers, relatives, etc.—and, if there’s no result, you may publish a notice in a newspaper with general circulation in the area where the defendant resided or where the action is filed. The publication provides actual notice to the defendant and allows the case to proceed if the defendant does not appear. This option is not the initial method, not specifically for international defendants, and not tied to bankruptcy filings.