Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851

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Service of summonses.

12. The manner in which summonses shall be served shall be subject to the following provisions:

1. It shall be lawful for the justices of each petty sessions to appoint some one or more persons, who shall be able to read and write, to act as summons server or servers of the district during the pleasure of such justices; . . .

2. In cases of offences prosecuted by the constabulary the summons shall be served by a head or other constable; but in all other cases it may be served by the summons server of the district, or (if the justice issuing the same shall so direct or permit) by any other person whom the complainant shall employ, and who shall be able to read and write, but in no case by the complainant himself:

3. Every summons shall be served upon the person to whom it is directed by delivering to him a copy of such summons, or, if he cannot be conveniently met with, by leaving such copy for him at his last or most usual place of abode, or at his office, warehouse, counting-house, shop, factory, or place of business, with some inmate of the house not being under sixteen years of age, a reasonable time before the hearing of the complaint; and such last-mentioned service shall be deemed sufficient service of such summons in every case except where personal service shall be specially required by this Act; and in every case the person who shall serve such summons shall endorse on the same the time and place where it was served, and shall attend with the same at the hearing of the complaint to depose., if necessary, to such service:

Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to affect the provisions of any Act authorising the substitution of service in particular cases.