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Preparing Your Firm for California's SPARE Act: What You Need to Know

October 7, 2026 Jeff Karotkin

California just rewrote the rules for service of process, and the compliance clock starts January 1, 2027.

AB 747, the SPARE Act, replaces the "reasonable diligence" standard with something far more specific: a 3-3-3 attempt rule, date, time, GPS-stamped photo documentation, and a burden of proof that now falls on the plaintiff if service is challenged.

Join Jeff Karotkin, Senior Director of Court Filing & Service of Process at Steno, who worked with legislators on the bill's language and actually helped write the rules he's walking you through.

In this session, you'll get a clear-eyed breakdown of what's changing, what it means for your case files, and how to get your firm ready before the exposure window opens.

What you'll walk away with:

The new 3-3-3 diligence standard, and which case types it actually applies to
What the GPS-stamped photo requirement means for your proofs of service and the built-in exceptions
How the burden of proof shifts if a defendant challenges service
A practical checklist for auditing your process serving vendors before 1/1/2027.

About the Contributor

Jeff Karotkin

As the Senior Director of Court Filing & Service of Process for Steno, Jeff plans, manages, and executes the Litigation Support Group’s mission, which includes anything from strategy and operations to revenue growth.

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