(a) Every society authorized to do business in this state shall appoint, in writing, the commissioner and each successor in office to be its true and lawful attorney upon whom all lawful process in any action or proceeding against it shall be served and shall agree, in such writing, that any lawful process against it which is served on said attorney shall be of the same legal force and validity as if served upon the society and that the authority shall continue in force so long as any liability remains outstanding in this state. Copies of such appointment, certified by the commissioner, shall be deemed sufficient evidence thereof and shall be admitted in evidence with the same force and effect as the original thereof might be admitted.

Terms Used In Alabama Code 27-34-47

  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) Service shall only be made upon the commissioner or, if absent, upon the person in charge of his office. It shall be made in duplicate and shall constitute sufficient service upon the society. When legal process against a society is served upon the commissioner, he shall forthwith forward one of the duplicate copies by registered or certified mail, prepaid, directed to the secretary or corresponding officer. No such service shall require a society to file its answer, pleading, or defense in less than 30 days from the date of mailing the copy of the service to a society. Legal process shall not be served upon a society except in the manner provided in this section. At the time of serving any process upon the commissioner, the plaintiff or complainant in the action shall pay to the commissioner a fee of $2.00.