03/09/2024
In 1992, City Sheriff James Murphy instituted a local court rule requiring private process servers to pay a fee for a class on serving papers. I believed this was a conflict of interest since process servers are essentially paying their competitor, the sheriff, for a 'license' to serve papers in the 22nd Judicial Circuit.
After 31 years I had the chance to speak withe rules committee of the Court En Banc in November 2023. I provided copies of the articles from the St. Louis Dispatch from 1992 concerning this matter. I stated then it was a conflict of interest, the laws of Missouri governing Sheriffs have no provision for the Sheriff’s office to be issuing licenses for private businesses, or collecting fees.
The Court En Banc took it under advisement and at the next meeting, after researching the minutes for the last 32 years, the fees were discovered to have never been approved by the Court En Banc. In essence, the Sheriff’s office has collected fees for the last 32 years illegally.
When asked by a reporter of what the fees were being used for. Sheriff Betts stated on camera, that “the fees were being used to train and purchase equipment for his deputies.” So in essence, the fees are subsidizing his office. Private Process Servers are not supposed to be subsidizing the Sheriff’s Office.
The Court En Banc froze the Sheriff’s office on collecting fees from process servers. This has made the Sheriff extremely unhappy that his cash cow is now under investigation.
The Court En Bance has requested that the State Attorney General’s office conduct an investigation in to where the money went. I am sure the State Auditor will be included in the investigation.
https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/sheriff-faces-scrutiny-over-decades-long-500-fee
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/judge-asks-ag-to-probe-st-louis-sheriffs-revenue-from-process-servers-41947620,
Rick A Burrows
314-406-0526
Judge Asks AG to Probe St. Louis Sheriff’s Revenue from Process Servers
The judges have also shut down Sheriff Vernon Betts’ ability to charge fees to process servers — for now
03/09/2024
Sheriff faces scrutiny over decades-long fee
St. Louis judges and a special court committee are demanding answers from the city’s sheriff about a long-collected fee, to the point that Missouri’s Attorney General may get involved.
03/09/2024
In 1992, City Sheriff James Murphy instituted a local court rule requiring private process servers to pay a fee for a class on serving papers. I believed this was a conflict of interest since process servers are essentially paying their competitor, the sheriff, for a 'license' to serve papers in the 22nd Judicial Circuit.
After 31 years I had the chance to speak withe rules committee of the Court En Banc in November 2023. I provided copies of the articles from the St. Louis Dispatch from 1992 concerning this matter. I stated then it was a conflict of interest, the laws of Missouri governing Sheriffs have no provision for the Sheriff’s office to be issuing licenses for private businesses, or collecting fees.
The Court En Banc took it under advisement and at the next meeting, after researching the minutes for the last 32 years, the fees were discovered to have never been approved by the Court En Banc. In essence, the Sheriff’s office has collected fees for the last 32 years illegally.
When asked by a reporter of what the fees were being used for. Sheriff Betts stated on camera, that “the fees were being used to train and purchase equipment for his deputies.” So in essence, the fees are subsidizing his office. Private Process Servers are not supposed to be subsidizing the Sheriff’s Office.
The Court En Banc froze the Sheriff’s office on collecting fees from process servers. This has made the Sheriff extremely unhappy that his cash cow is now under investigation.
The Court En Bance has requested that the State Attorney General’s office to conduct an investigation in to where the money went. I am sure the State Auditor will be included in the investigation.
https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/sheriff-faces-scrutiny-over-decades-long-500-fee
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/judge-asks-ag-to-probe-st-louis-sheriffs-revenue-from-process-servers-41947620
Sheriff faces scrutiny over decades-long fee
St. Louis judges and a special court committee are demanding answers from the city’s sheriff about a long-collected fee, to the point that Missouri’s Attorney General may get involved.
01/05/2024
Today is the start of my 39th year of serving papers, locating people, doing some investigative work. I have developed skills that solve problems for lawyers and individuals. I have driven over 1.3 million miles these last 39 years. Well over 25 thousand papers served. All the stories we could tell in these last 39 years. As Harry Bosch states “Everybody counts or Nobody counts.” It’s something I do believe in.
Process servers are a bit quirky. I look at things in a different angle than others. It seems to make me looked at by others in a different light. I’m okay with that. I have special skills that are needed. I’m glad I can use them to help where I can.
Thank you Cheri Boucher for taking a chance on me and seeing the potential I had. I have always thought that this was going to be a “bridge job” leading to something more. The engineers seem to keep making it longer.
I want to thank the attorneys that have trusted in me to get the job done for them.
