§ 162-16. Execute summons, order or judgment. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 162‑16.  Executesummons, order or judgment.

Whenever the sheriff may be required to serve or execute any summons,order or judgment, or to do any other act, he shall be bound to do so in likemanner as upon process issued to him, and shall be equally liable in allrespects for neglect of duty; and if the sheriff be a party, the coroner shallbe bound to perform the service, as he is now bound to execute process wherethe sheriff is a party; and this Chapter relating to sheriffs shall apply tocoroners when the sheriff is a party. Sheriffs and coroners may return processby mail.  Their liabilities in respect to the execution of process shall be asprescribed by law.

In those counties where the office of coroner has been abolished, or isvacant, and in which process is required to be served or executed on thesheriff, the authority to serve or execute such process shall be vested in theclerk of court; however, the clerk of court is hereby empowered to designateand direct by appropriate order some person to act in his stead to serve orexecute the same. (C.C.P., s. 354;Code, s. 598; Rev., s. 2819; C.S., s. 3938; 1971, c. 653, s. 1.)