Why service of process decides the schedule
When you file, the Court Clerk will schedule the Trial date (see the filing guide). That date only holds if the Defendant is served at least 7 days before the Trial. If you miss that window, the Trial date is no longer valid. The Court Clerk must then issue a new order with a new date, and you start the service attempt over.
Every failed attempt costs a full cycle. Two failed service attempts in a row can turn a six-week case into a five-month case — with the same Filing Fee buying you nothing for your wasted time.
Two important deadlines to respect
- 7 days before the Trial — service must be completed by then or the Trial date must be reissued (§1756).
- 180 days total — if the Defendant is not served within 180 days of filing, the action is deemed dismissed without prejudice as to that Defendant. “Without prejudice” means you can refile — with a new Filing Fee, a new Trial date, and a statute-of-limitations clock that never stopped running.
What we do at this step
Mr. Ingham is very well connected in Northeast Oklahoma. He uses the best process servers, and will consult with them about achieving proper service on your Defendant. The process servers will choose the best service method with the Trial date in mind, and keep the service costs documented so that Mr. Ingham can request you be awarded service fees after you are awarded a Judgment.
If the Defendant is an individual, Mr. Ingham will also ensure a SCRA/military-status search is performed on the Defendant, in case the Defendant is in active military service.