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Texas Code of Criminal Procedure - Article 17A.04. Service On Corporation

Legal Research Home > Texas Laws > Code of Criminal Procedure > Texas Code of Criminal Procedure - Article 17A.04. Service On Corporation

Art. 17A.04. SERVICE ON CORPORATION.  (a) Except as provided 
in Paragraph (d) of this article, a peace officer shall serve a 
summons on a corporation by personally delivering a copy of it to 
the corporation's registered agent.  However, if a registered agent 
has not been designated, or cannot with reasonable diligence be 
found at the registered office, then the peace officer shall serve 
the summons by personally delivering a copy of it to the president 
or a vice-president of the corporation.
	(b)  If the peace officer certifies on the return that he 
diligently but unsuccessfully attempted to effect service under 
Paragraph (a) of this article, or if the corporation is a foreign 
corporation that has no certificate of authority, then he shall 
serve the summons on the secretary of state by personally 
delivering a copy of it to him, or to the deputy secretary of state, 
or to any clerk in charge of the corporation department of his 
office.  On receipt of the summons copy, the secretary of state 
shall immediately forward it by certified or registered mail, 
return receipt requested, addressed to the defendant corporation at 
its registered or principal office in the state or country under 
whose law it was incorporated.
	(c)  The secretary of state shall keep a permanent record of 
the date and time of receipt and his disposition of each summons 
served under Paragraph (b) of this article together with the return 
receipt.
	(d)  The method of service on a corporation regulated under 
the Insurance Code is governed by that code.

Added by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 980, ch. 399, Sec. 2(D), eff. Jan. 
1, 1974.

Subsec. (b) amended by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 41, Sec. 15, eff. 
Sept. 1, 2005.

Last modified: August 11, 2007