Can lawyers act like police?

Question

I was in a car accident over 2 years ago. I got a phone call a couple of weeks ago saying that there was a lawsuit against me, that my insurance company wouldn't give them my address, and they were asking me for my address. I said no. I called my insurance agent and let him know everything. Then, I guess it slipped my mind. I got a phone call yesterday. They said they were with my County Police Department and that they needed my apartment number to serve me with papers for this lawsuit. I gave her the number because she said she was with the police. Then I realized that she was probably lying. I'm usually not very gullible. I reverse checked the number and it is definitely not the police department. Can she represent herself as the police just to serve me papers?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The short answer is no they can't, but many lawyers are greedy and will make their paralegals do things that are border line illegal and unethical. With that being said you have no reason to not let them serve you. You have insurance and they will have more lawyers than they know what to do with. One of them will be assigned to handle the lawsuit for you. You pay for this with your premium dollars.

The lawyer won't serve you the papers themselves. It depends on where you are in some areas sheriff's office or the police do serve the lawsuit papers. In other areas it is done by a process server.

Answer 2

Saying they're with the police department is different from claiming they are the police.

There might be something there, but I doubt the police would care.

Answer 3

Good for you.  Your insurance company needs to handle everything.  The REAL police department can look up your address - they don't NEED you to give them an apartment number.  

What she did was illegal.  But how the HECK are you going to prove it in court?  Now, just don't answer your door for the next two months.  But if they DO serve you, just turn the papers over to your insurance company.