What does "alternative service" refer to in legal proceedings?

"Alternative service" in legal proceedings specifically refers to methods of serving legal documents that do not involve the traditional method of personal delivery to the individual being served. This can include various approaches such as delivering documents via mail, email, posting on a designated website, or even publishing a notice in a newspaper in cases where the recipient's whereabouts are unknown.

The concept of alternative service is implemented to ensure that parties still receive proper notice of legal actions or proceedings, even when personal service is impractical or impossible. This approach aims to maintain the integrity of the legal process while adapting to modern circumstances and technologies.

Other methods mentioned, such as filing documents through an online portal or personal delivery, do not fall under the category of alternative service, as they represent either traditional or administrative processes.