Which of the following best describes "substituted service"?

Substituted service refers to an alternative method of serving legal documents when personal service on the defendant is not feasible. This concept is crucial in legal proceedings, especially when a defendant is evasive or cannot be located at their usual residence. The aim is to ensure that the defendant is still made aware of the legal action taking place against them, thereby fulfilling the requirement of due process.

When utilizing substituted service, courts may allow various approaches that still aim to provide notice to the individual. This might include serving documents to someone of suitable age and discretion at the defendant's home, mailing the documents to the defendant’s last known address, or using other reasonable methods to ensure that the defendant receives the documents.

In contrast, the other choices describe different facets of service but do not capture the essence of substituted service, which is specifically about addressing situations where direct personal service is impractical. For example, delivering documents directly to the defendant, serving documents through mail only, or leaving them with a neighbor can be forms of service or methods employed, but they do not encapsulate the core principle of substituted service, which is the adaptation of service methods in light of difficulties in reaching the defendant directly.