Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 133 - Secretary of State
Chapter 8290 - SAFE AT HOME PROGRAM
Part 8290.0500 - SERVICE OF PROCESS

Subpart 1. Secretary of state as agent.

The secretary of state shall be an agent of the program participant upon whom any summons, writ, notice, demand, or process may be served. The secretary of state shall not charge a fee for accepting service. The secretary of state ceases to be agent when a program participant is canceled or withdraws from program participation.

Subp. 2. Service by mail.

Service on the secretary of state of any such summons, writ, notice, demand, or process must be made by mailing the summons, writ, notice, demand, or process to the participant, including the participant's first and last name, at the participant's designated address. If an envelope enclosing the summons, writ, notice, demand, or process is clearly labeled as service of process on the outside of the envelope and is served by first class or certified mail on the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall forward the service to the program participant no later than the next business day unless the program participant has requested a mail hold or is in a pending cancellation status due to undeliverable mail. If the secretary of state receives service for a program participant in pending cancellation status due to undeliverable mail, the secretary of state must attempt to contact the participant through alternative means and obtain a current mailing address. If the secretary of state cannot obtain an alternative mailing address within two business days of the receipt of service, the secretary of state must forward the service to the program participant at the address on file with the secretary of state. As the secretary of state is the agent for service of process, the signed receipt of certified mail by the secretary of state constitutes proof of service on the program participant and commences the time in which responsive pleadings must be filed.

Subp. 3. Service in person.

In the event that personal service of any document is required by law, that document may be served by delivering the document to any public counter of the Office of the Secretary of State. In order for the secretary of state to accept service on a participant, the service documents must indicate the program participant's first and last name and lot number. The secretary of state must forward the service to the program participant no later than the next business day unless the program participant has requested a mail hold or is in a pending cancellation status due to undeliverable mail. If the secretary of state receives service for a program participant in pending cancellation status due to undeliverable mail, the secretary of state must attempt to contact the participant through alternative means and obtain a current mailing address. If the secretary of state cannot obtain an alternative mailing address within two business days of the receipt of service, the secretary of state must forward the service to the program participant at the address on file with the secretary of state. As the secretary of state is the agent for service of process, an affidavit of service on the secretary of state constitutes proof of service on the program participant and commences the time in which responsive pleadings must be filed.

Subp. 4. Record.

The secretary of state shall maintain, in the program participant's file, a record of services served upon the secretary of state for that participant. The secretary of state shall include in the file the action taken on that service, including the name of the program participant to whom the service is directed, the date of receipt, the date of mailing, and whether the mailing was returned to the secretary of state as undeliverable.