What may happen if proof of service is not filed within the court's timetable?

What may happen if proof of service is not filed within the court's timetable?

• A. The case may be delayed or dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
• B. The defendant is automatically found not liable.
• C. The court automatically grants relief to the plaintiff.
• D. The case proceeds as if served.

Answer: (C)

Not filing proof of service within the court’s timetable can trigger a default-type remedy in favor of the plaintiff. When the procedural clock for proving service runs out, the rules often allow the court to grant the relief requested by the plaintiff by default, so the case can move forward rather than stall on administrative steps. This keeps proceedings from being paralyzed by late paperwork and protects the plaintiff’s ability to obtain the relief sought, provided service was proper or the court determines the delay hasn’t prejudiced the defendant. The other outcomes—for example, the defendant automatically being found not liable or the case simply proceeding as if served—don’t align with this default-into-relief approach, which is designed to prevent undue delay while still acknowledging the late filing.

Not filing proof of service within the court’s timetable can trigger a default-type remedy in favor of the plaintiff. When the procedural clock for proving service runs out, the rules often allow the court to grant the relief requested by the plaintiff by default, so the case can move forward rather than stall on administrative steps. This keeps proceedings from being paralyzed by late paperwork and protects the plaintiff’s ability to obtain the relief sought, provided service was proper or the court determines the delay hasn’t prejudiced the defendant. The other outcomes—for example, the defendant automatically being found not liable or the case simply proceeding as if served—don’t align with this default-into-relief approach, which is designed to prevent undue delay while still acknowledging the late filing.