A. Every society authorized to do business in this state shall appoint in writing the superintendent 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 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 said superintendent, 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.

B. Service shall only be made upon the superintendent, or if absent, upon the person in charge of the superintendent's 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 superintendent, the superintendent shall forthwith forward one of the duplicate copies by registered 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 thirty 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 herein provided. At the time of serving any process upon the superintendent, the plaintiff or complainant in the action shall pay to the superintendent a fee of ten dollars ($10.00).

History: 1978 Comp., § 59A-44-35, enacted by Laws 1989, ch. 388, § 35.

Repeals and reenactments. — Laws 1989, ch. 388, § 35, repealed 59A-44-35 NMSA 1978, as enacted by Laws 1984, ch. 127, § 820, relating to examination of domestic societies, and enacted a new section, effective January 1, 1990.