Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Substituted service means it was given to someone who was reasonably calculated to give the papers to you, so it may not be a place where you did live. If they claim service occurred at your home, if you were a renter get a declaration from the building owner/manager; if it was a house get a copy of the Recorder's Office records howilng you sold the place and evildence that you di dlive at a new place after the sale [utilities, other bills addressed to new place, etc.]. Normally it is not worth putting up such a fight as they will eventually serve you correctly and are entitled to recover the costs of that service if they win.