§ 45:15-21 — Filing of irrevocable consent to service

45:15-21. Every applicant for a license whose business address is outside this State shall file an irrevocable consent that suits and actions may be commenced against such applicant by the commission or by any person in any of the courts of record of this State, by the service of any process or pleading authorized by the laws of this State, in any county in which the plaintiff may reside, by serving the same on the secretary of the commission, said consent stipulating and agreeing that such service of such process or pleadings on said secretary shall be taken and held in all courts to be as valid and binding as if due service had been made personally upon the applicant in this State. This consent shall be duly acknowledged, and, if made by a corporation, shall be authenticated by its seal. The consent from a corporation shall be accompanied by a duly certified copy of the resolution of the board of directors, authorizing the proper officers to execute it. In all cases where process or pleadings shall be served, under the provisions of this article, upon the secretary of the commission, such process or pleadings shall be served in duplicate, one of which shall be filed in the office of the commission and the other shall be forwarded immediately by the secretary of the commission, by registered mail, to the last known business address of the licensee against which such process or pleadings are directed. Every licensee whose business address is outside this State shall, by acceptance of a license for that out-of-State address, automatically and irrevocably consent to the commission's jurisdiction over and investigative authority regarding the licensed business premises, and all records and conduct of the licensee both within and outside of the State. The licensee shall also automatically and irrevocably consent that service of any pleading or subpoena issued by the secretary of the commission pursuant to R.S.45:15-17 or R.S.45:15-18 which is delivered by certified mail to the licensee's last known address, shall constitute valid and binding service of the subpoena or pleading upon the licensee as if service had been made personally upon the licensee in this State. Amended 1993,c.51,s.30.