What is a declaration of due diligence?

A declaration of due diligence is the document you receive when the included attempts are used and the person still has not been served. It describes what was tried. It is not a proof of service, and it is not a decision by a court. Rockstar Process Serving prepares it from the attempts on that job. It does not extend a deadline, and it does not say that another method will be allowed.

Same day, next day, and standard service include four attempts. A rural address includes three. An extra-rural address includes two. The declaration follows whichever of those budgets you bought. Call 619-399-3278 Monday through Friday, 7am–5pm PST, if you want to talk through a finished set of attempts before you order something else.

Service attempts are also made outside of these office hours.

When the declaration is prepared

The declaration is prepared after the attempt budget is exhausted without service. It is not written after the first unanswered knock if tries remain. Standard process serving at $150 includes four attempts, with the first within one to three days. Same day at $195 and next day at $175 include four as well. Rural towns, including Jamul, Alpine, Ramona, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Valley Center, and Bonsall, are three attempts at $45 more. Extra-rural jobs are two attempts at $100 more, and you should call before ordering them.

An order placed after 5pm PST starts the next business day, so the attempt dates run from that next business day rather than from the evening you paid. Email service and mail service are not this four-attempt budget. They do not end in a due-diligence declaration for doorstep tries that were never part of the order. The how many attempts guide lists those differences in one place.

What the declaration covers

The declaration records the tries: the address, the dates, and what happened on those attempts. It is the paperwork for unsuccessful service on that order. You should expect a description of the work that was done, not a recommendation about your case. Notarization, if you need the signature notarized, is $40 per signature and has to be on the order.

A completed serve produces a proof of service instead. The proof of service guide explains that form, including the San Diego County mailing for self-represented people and the email copy. For other courts, a proof is emailed or mailed back for you to file. A due-diligence declaration is a different document. Do not file one under the assumption it will be treated as the other.

What it does not do

The declaration does not serve the person. It does not add free attempts. It does not locate a new address. It does not tell a judge to accept substituted service, posted service, or mail. If you have instructions from your papers about a next step, follow those instructions or ask the court clerk. Rockstar will carry out a service you order. Rockstar will not predict the outcome.

A stakeout is not included in the declaration. If you wanted someone to wait during the original job, that add-on is $80 per hour with a two-hour minimum, billed even if the person is found sooner, with no promise they will be there. Adding it after the attempts are already exhausted means a new order, not a rewrite of the declaration.

What you can order next

A new serve at the same address is a new order at the full price. A new address is also a new order. Skip tracing is $50 for a basic search and $200 for a comprehensive search, per person, if you need somewhere else to look. The fee is refunded in full when the search returns no results. There is no refund for outdated addresses, and no guarantee a current residence exists.

Start the next job on the order form. The FAQ states the attempt counts in short form. The contact form is open for a question about a declaration you already received. Call 619-399-3278 during office hours and have the order reference ready. Another attempt, or a skip trace, is scheduled only after you order it.

When does Rockstar issue a declaration of due diligence?

You receive a declaration of due diligence when the included attempts are used and the person has not been served. Same day, next day, and standard service include four attempts. A rural address includes three, and an extra-rural address includes two. The declaration describes those tries.

Is a declaration the same as a proof of service?

No. A proof of service records a completed serve. A declaration of due diligence records attempts that did not end in service. San Diego County proofs for self-represented people are mailed at no extra charge, with an email copy. A declaration is not that proof, and it is not a court ruling.

Can I order a skip trace after attempts run out?

Yes. A skip trace is a new order. Basic is $50 per person and comprehensive is $200 per person. You are refunded in full if the search returns no results. There is no refund for outdated addresses, and no guarantee a current residence exists. The earlier attempts are not redone for free.