Watts v. Crawford

Opinion

GEORGE, J.

Under governing statutes, a plaintiff is required to serve a defendant, with the summons and complaint within three years of filing the complaint in order to avoid a dismissal. (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 583.210, subd. (a), 583.250.) Section 583.240 provides, however, for the tolling of the three-year period under a number of specified circumstances. The issue in the case before us involves the proper interpretation of the provision in section 583.240, subdivision (a), that requires tolling of the three-year period for the time during which “[t]he defendant was not amenable to the…