I’d like to start this letter by complimenting this year’s Board of Directors and the Committees who are
putting in overtime working on NAPPS business. The February 2005 Board Meeting was well attended, the
agenda was full, Officers and Committee Chairs came to the meeting fully prepared and everyone present
“rolled up their shirt sleeves”, so to speak, and a lot of work was accomplished. It was wonderful to have so
many members attend the meeting, your opinions are important and are always greatly appreciated.
NAPPS recognizes the fact that technology is causing some real concerns for our industry, as well as the
legal community we serve. It is vital to us to keep everyone up to date with the latest proposed changes in
technology. Some members are concerned that they are not getting up-dated information quick enough and
they have submitted letters to The Docket Sheet that are critical of both my leadership and the direction
NAPPS is taking in fighting the e-Service threat. I have directed the editor to print the full text of these letters
as submitted. It is vitally important that every member have the opportunity to have a voice in this debate.
My advice is to place your trust in NAPPS, and rest assured that this association is doing everything
possible to protect the industry and your business, as well as create a reasonable access to the information
available, yet ever changing. There are presently two separate committee’s working together to protect the
interest of NAPPS members and our industry. Jeff Karotkin, Committee Chair for “Technology and the
Courts” has been keeping this association informed for several years, writing article after article for the
Docket, and report after report for the Board. The ABA – E-Filing Committee Chair, Fred Blum, has been
working very closely with Mr. Karotkin and other members of the committee. Every member concerned with
technology, and the effects that it is going to have on our industry needs to attend the Annual Conference,
read the Docket Sheet articles relating to the up coming changes and visit the NAPPS web site for the latest
updates regarding Technology and the Courts. Several State Associations are also monitoring Technology
closely, also doing what they can to protect our industry. State Associations are encouraged to submit
articles for the Docket, so that members of their States can read about the present status of their State. The
Legal Community, as well as the leaders in Technology all recognize NAPPS and its Chartered State
Associations, as an industry that will defend and protect it’s position with respect to E-Filings and EServices.
To quote Jeff Karotkin: “We as an industry need to help insure that no one company maintains
an exclusive relationship with the courts”. This clearly defines the intent of NAPPS through it committee
efforts to ensure that all process servers and the members of NAPPS remain a relevant part of due process
for years to come. NAPPS has risen to the occasion and is taking a leadership role in the discussion and
planning stages of Technology. Remember, NAPPS is taking “ACTION” to protect our industry, but there
are some members who place our position at risk by their “REACTIONS”, which are sometimes based on
misinformation.
This year’s Annual Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, is going to be fantastic, there are some great sporting
events, excellent speakers, educational seminars, opportunity to meet other members with whom you do
business, get in tune with the latest news in technology. There are going to be some “By-Law
Amendments” on the floor for membership consideration. It’s a “must attend” event, and I’m looking forward
to seeing “you” there.
