(a) Notices of the requirement of the attendance of jury service in the Circuit Court of Henry County may be served by first class mail or may be served as provided by the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure and this code. If, in the discretion of the sheriff, the service is made by first class mail, such service shall be made as follows. It shall be the duty of the sheriff to enclose the summons in an envelope addressed to the person to be served and place all necessary postage and a return address thereon with notice to the postal authorities not to forward outside of the county. In the event the jury summons is returned to the sheriff by the post office of the United States without delivery, the summons shall be made by the sheriff returned NOT FOUND. All jury summons not returned by the post office shall be considered for all purposes as sufficient personal and legal service. The provisions of this subsection in reference to service by mail, however, shall not apply to jury summons returnable before the court instanter, but such summons shall be served only as provided by the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure and this code.
(b) In the service of summons and complaints or subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses in any civil, criminal, equity, or other case or proceeding in either the small claims court, district court, or circuit court, and whether civil, criminal, or juvenile, in the county, or before the grand jury of the county may be served by the sheriff or constable personally or by leaving a copy thereof at the place of residence of the witness, or the sheriff may serve the same by placing a copy thereof in the United States mail, certified, return receipt requested, enclosing the subpoena in an envelope properly stamped and addressed to the person or witness to be served. Upon service by the sheriff upon any witness or person by any one of the foregoing methods, the sheriff shall immediately mark the process executed. If the subpoena so mailed is not delivered to the address but is returned to the sheriff by the United States post office, then the sheriff shall immediately make a diligent effort to serve the subpoena either personally or by leaving a copy thereof at the place of residence of the witness.
(c) Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in subsection (b), any judge having jurisdiction of the proceeding or case, on motion of any party or on the court’s own motion, may order any particular subpoena or the subpoenas in any case or proceeding to be served personally or by leaving a copy thereof at the place of residence of the witness or person or by United States registered or certified mail.
Last modified: May 3, 2021