What does a star next to a deadline mean?
Deadlines Proceeded by * indicates actual deadline is a function of METHOD OF SERVICE
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(A) Our “CONSERVATIVE defaults” – Deadline Calculated Going FORWARDS in Time: When ADDING days our “conservative default” assumes that the method of service is HAND DELIVERY (base deadline + ZERO days).
EXAMPLE: the “Deadline to serve answer” is due 30 days after the complaint is served by hand delivery, but it is due 35 days after the complaint served if served by mail to parties residing all within California (LawToolBox default is 30 days after the complaint is served because we apply the most conservative default for the method of service which is hand-delivery).
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(B) Our “CONSERVATIVE defaults” – Deadline Calculated Going BACKWARDS in Time: When SUBTRACTING days our "most conservative and common default" assumes that the method of service is MAIL in CA (base deadline + 5 CALENDAR days).
EXAMPLE: the “Deadline to serve offer of compromise” is due 10 days before trial if hand-delivered, but it is due 15 days before trial if served by mail to parties residing all within California (LawToolBox default is 15 days before trial because we apply the most common conservative default for method of service which is service by mail within CA).
AFTER SERVICE IS ACTUALLY MADE: You can “leave alone” the calculated deadline or, you can EDIT the deadline as follows: (1) removing “*” and (2) adding the actual method in parenthesis at end of the description. Do this especially when subtracting days, this way your attorneys know with certainty the method of service applied. If the method of service is not yet stated in the deadline description then before editing the deadline, consider checking Trigger Dates > Quick Input Link to see what method of service is currently applied and select the new method of service if applicable.
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(C) ADDING or SUBTRACTING 2 COURT DAYS for eSERVICE (and in the NON-MOTION context - ADDING or SUBTRACTING 2 COURT DAYS for fax, express mail or overnight delivery):
(1) MANUALLY ADD or SUBTRACT 2 COURT days: Select by HAND DELIVERY (base deadline + ZERO days) and edit deadline by (a) removing “*” and (b) adding “eservice” as actual method in parenthesis at end of description and (c) add or subtract 2 COURT DAYS from BASE deadline.
(2) USE our “CONSERVATIVE calendar day DEFAULTS” for eService, fax, express ail or overnight delivery
(i) Deadline Calculated Going FORWARDS in Time - If the user changes the method of service to select “by fax, express mail, overnight delivery”, LawToolBox “adds 2 calendar days” instead of “adding 2 court days” so LawToolBox deadlines will expire on or before actual deadline.
(ii) Deadline Calculated Going BACKWARDS in Time - If the user changes the method of service to select “by fax, express mail, overnight delivery”, LawToolBox “subtracts 5 calendar days” instead of “subtracting 2 court days” so LawToolBox deadlines will expire on or before actual deadline.