united-states civil-procedure
If you&#39;re homeless, can you be served or charged with failure to appear as a civil defendant?
<p>So, let's say my last physical address on record happens to be the last place I worked. Since then, let's say I've been homeless. So, my debtors might eventually sue me in court, however, I'm unable to show up since I know nothing of it being homeless which leads to a default judgment. Then there's a summons to court for the "Asset hearing"; if you're homeless, can you actually be served? If you can't be served, then can you get charged with 'failure to appear' which shows up in police records? I.e., does anything show up in police records if you're homeless and de facto completely separated from the legal system, and cannot participate at all because you're not ever properly served? Can the police do the serving if they find and identify you, or can they alert the courts to get the process server after detaining you? I.e., do the police know that a process server is looking for you? (I.e., let's say they identify you after busting you for doing crack in the streets.)</p>

<p>For all intents and purposes, let's say you're like that one guy who went to live in the woods? Can the park ranger detain you, identify you and bring you to the process server because somehow they know you're being looked for?</p>

<p>It depends on a lot of things, including the type of suit and the state. But this would be outlined in the court's civil procedure rules of that state. </p>

<p>For example, Mississippi's Rule of Civil Procedure 4 states that if the defendant cannot be found after "diligent inquiry", then the plaintiff may file an affidavit and serve by publication. </p>

<p>At that point, failure to appear could result in a default judgment.</p>
