Opinion ID: 2516306
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: analysis

Text: ¶ 5 Title 12, section 2004(I) of the Oklahoma Statutes provides: If service of process is not made upon a defendant within one hundred eighty (180) days after the filing of the petition and the plaintiff cannot show good cause why such service was not made within that period, the action may be dismissed as to that defendant without prejudice upon the court's own initiative with notice to the plaintiff or upon motion. (Emphasis added.) ¶ 6 Under section 2004(I), service is always timely if made within 180 days after the petition is filed. After 180 days, service is timely if the plaintiff shows good cause for the delay. The use of the word may in section 2004(I) indicates dismissal is discretionary. Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 2004(I) cmt. (1991); see Mott v. Carlson, 1990 OK 10, ¶ 6, 786 P.2d 1247, 1249. Unlike rule 4(j) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on which section 2004 is based, dismissal under the Oklahoma rule is discretionary after the 180 days time period. The trial court will be reversed only upon a showing of an abuse of discretion. Mott, 1990 OK 10 at ¶ 6, 786 P.2d at 1249. ¶ 7 Because litigants are entitled to a fair day in court, policy encourages actions being tried on the merits. Nelson v. Nelson, 1998 OK 10, ¶ 23, 954 P.2d 1219, 1228. As with default judgments, judgments other than on the merits are disfavored. See id. When a plaintiff shows good cause for delay in service and the defendant fails to show prejudice, the trial court abuses its discretion if it dismisses the petition based on the delay. ¶ 8 In this case, the attorney for the plaintiff stated that he was concerned about the validity of the action and sanctions under section 2011 of title 12 which provides sanctions against an attorney for filing and pursuing frivolous actions. The attorney for the plaintiff received an oral expert opinion in July of 1998 but did not receive a written opinion until just prior to service being made in November. Under the circumstances of this case, the plaintiff showed good cause for the delay. The trial court abused its discretion in dismissing the petition based on delay of service.