Why Stakeout Hours Are Increasing Across Southern California — And What It Means for Your Cases

Over the past several years, Rush Intel Services has seen a significant increase in the number of stakeout hours required to successfully complete service of process, especially for personal injury and civil litigation cases. This trend is not limited to a handful of difficult subjects—it is appearing across nearly all client types, all case categories, and all regions we serve.

Understanding why this is happening can help you better plan, budget, and strategize service attempts going forward. Below, we break down the most common reasons for the rise in stakeout requirements, and what your options are as a law firm navigating this new landscape.

The Rising Need for Stakeouts: What’s Driving the Increase

Stakeouts have historically been considered an escalation tool reserved for truly evasive subjects. However, today’s environment has made them increasingly necessary to effectively serve defendants who cannot be reached through traditional attempts.

Here are the most common causes we are observing:

1. Gated Houses and Enclosed Properties

More residences now feature:

• Automated gates

• Perimeter fencing

• Video doorbells

These barriers often prevent process servers from reaching the front door or speaking to residents directly. When contact cannot be made, stakeouts become the only practical method to serve the individual as they enter or leave the property.

2. Access-Controlled Apartments and Businesses (Increasing Rapidly)

Many apartment complexes, mixed-use buildings, and commercial properties now use:

• Electronic fobs

• Locked lobbies

• Call boxes

• Keypads that do not connect to residents

• Elevators that require access credentials

These features make traditional attempts ineffective, and stakeouts at entry/exit points are frequently required. This category alone accounts for a large portion of the year-over-year increase in stakeout hours.

3. Gated Communities Without Guards

Even when a community does not have on-site security, the physical barrier itself prevents entry. If the subject cannot be contacted by phone or voicemail, the only way to complete service is:

• Waiting for the defendant to leave

• Coordinating with residents entering the community

• Observing for daily activity patterns

This adds time, complexity, and multiple visits—conditions that naturally result in more stakeout hours.

4. Individuals Actively Evading Service

More defendants today are:

• Moving frequently

• Ignoring door knocks intentionally

• Refusing to answer unknown callers

• Watching security cameras in real time

Whether due to legal concerns, fear, or influence from online misinformation about process servers, evasion behavior has increased noticeably in the last few years.

Stakeouts often become the only reliable method to serve these individuals.

5. ICE Activity and Fear in Certain Communities

In specific neighborhoods, especially where immigrant populations are concentrated, increased ICE activity creates fear around answering the door. Even when the defendant is not undocumented and is legally able to be present in the U.S., residents may:

• Not answer the door

• Avoid speaking to strangers

• Decline to confirm names or residence

This environment creates additional barriers to normal service attempts.

Why This Matters for Your Litigation Timeline

When subjects cannot be reached through standard attempts, stakeouts become a critical tool to avoid delays in case progression. Across all clients, we are seeing a consistent pattern:

• More gated addresses

• More people who cannot be reached by phone

• More access-controlled buildings

• More intentional or unintentional evasion

This means attorneys should expect stakeouts to be more common, not exceptional, moving forward.

Client Options: Stakeouts or Alternative Address Development

We understand that stakeout hours are an additional cost, and some clients prefer to explore alternatives first. Rush Intel Services is experienced in developing supplemental or secondary addresses, including:

• Updated residential addresses

• Current workplaces

• Associated addresses from skip traces

• Known relatives or household members

• Commercial or business records

• Social media–linked activity locations

If a client does not want to proceed with stakeouts, we can perform deeper investigative work to locate additional places to attempt service.

However, it is important to note:

• Not all defendants will have alternate viable addresses.

• Some addresses will still require stakeouts due to security barriers.

• Stakeouts remain the most reliable tool in cases involving evasion or access control.

When all other address avenues are exhausted, a stakeout is often the only way to avoid prolonged delays or a need for substituted service motions.

Preparing for the Future of Service of Process

The landscape of service is changing rapidly in Southern California. Stakeouts are becoming:

• More frequent

• More necessary

• More time-intensive

Our goal is to keep your cases moving forward efficiently and legally, using the best tactics available.

Rush Intel Services remains committed to:

• Providing transparent communication

• Advising clients of all available options

• Executing stakeouts safely, professionally, and effectively

• Offering investigative alternatives when appropriate

If you have questions about when stakeouts are recommended, or if you’d like us to evaluate your current case for additional address development, we are always available to assist.

info@rushintel

626-385-8662