Learned counsel has summed up very well on the subject. Just a couple of observations.
From a purely practical standpoint, use certified return receipt for private matters where you think the recipient might deny receiving it. Also for documents that you want to be sure don't get lost, such as documents where the signers are deceased or no longer available. In situations where the signers could all sign again if necessary, I just use first class (as do the real estate closing companies). Ditto for routine mailings of checks where you trust the recipient.
From a legal standpoint, I only use certified return receipt when the rules say I must. When we mail out notices, etc. to opposing parties, we generally don't care if they receive it or not, just that we comply with the statute. As to mailings between attorneys, I've never had opposing counsel deny receiving it- its just too lame an excuse to state to a judge. As John said, the "mailbox rule" says intended recipient is served as soon as you put it in the mailbox. And a sworn statement by the lawyer that he did so will prevail over the litigant who says he didn't receive it (the judge is always mildly amused when some guy comes to court and says he didn't receive the notice of hearing- it brings up a pretty obvious question).
I am not aware of any service or mailing rule that says you must send by certified only- always just first class mail, or first class plus certified. Eviction notices can be posted and mailed first class. A case in Seattle was thrown out because the notice was mailed by certified mail only (which was not picked up), not first class. The judge queried, "Who ever gets good news by certified mail? Especially one who is delinquent on his rent?" And he's right- probably 75% of my certified mailings come back unclaimed.
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Today's Featured Article - Chores - by Frank Young. The ceaseless passing of time! It is at once our friend and our enemy. It measures our progress and it makes us old. Like most features of our life, few things are all good or all bad, and most such judgments depend on our own perspective or viewpoint. In our particular hobby, we enjoy the nostalgic return to the days of our youth as we recreate many of the scenes that took place on the family farm that served as the stage for the first few acts of the play that is our live
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