The California Order Granting Alternative Service (COGS) is a court order issued by a judge in a California court. It allows a person to serve court documents to another person without having to do so through personal service. This type of alternative service is particularly beneficial in those cases in which serving documents through personal service is not feasible, such as when a defendant lives out of state or cannot be located. There are three types of COGS: mail service, email service, and substituted service. With mail service, court documents are mailed to the defendant via certified mail, return receipt requested, or other delivery service. Email service is similar to mail service, except that the documents are sent electronically. With substituted service, court documents are served on a person at the defendant's residence or place of work who is of suitable age and discretion. The person then must deliver the documents to the defendant. Regardless of the type of service used, the court will require proof of service and may impose additional requirements, such as service via publication or posting.