diff --git a/src/lib/integrations.ts b/src/lib/integrations.ts
index 06fe493..861774f 100644
--- a/src/lib/integrations.ts
+++ b/src/lib/integrations.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import type { Env } from '../index';
  * All calls are fire-and-forget safe — failures are logged but don't break the caller.
  */
 
+/** Distinguishes "no data" from "service error" for array-returning methods */
+export interface ServiceArrayResult<T> {
+  data: T[];
+  error?: string;
+  status?: number;
+}
+
 // ── ChittyLedger ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 // Audit trail: entries, chain verification, custody queries
 // NOTE: Evidence/case operations live on ChittyEvidence, not ChittyLedger.
@@ -54,17 +61,22 @@ export function ledgerClient(env: Env) {
     addEntry: (entry: LedgerEntryPayload) =>
       post<{ id: string; sequenceNumber: number; hash: string }>('/entries', entry),
 
-    /** Search ledger entries */
-    searchEntries: async (params: { entityType?: string; entityId?: string; actor?: string; status?: string; limit?: number }): Promise<Record<string, unknown>[]> => {
+    /** Search ledger entries — returns { data, error? } to distinguish empty from failure */
+    searchEntries: async (params: { entityType?: string; entityId?: string; actor?: string; status?: string; limit?: number }): Promise<ServiceArrayResult<Record<string, unknown>>> => {
       const qs = new URLSearchParams(
         Object.entries(params).filter(([, v]) => v !== undefined).map(([k, v]) => [k, String(v)] as [string, string])
       ).toString();
-      return await get<Record<string, unknown>[]>(`/entries${qs ? `?${qs}` : ''}`) ?? [];
+      const result = await get<Record<string, unknown>[]>(`/entries${qs ? `?${qs}` : ''}`);
+      if (result === null) return { data: [], error: 'ChittyLedger unreachable or returned error' };
+      return { data: result };
     },
 
-    /** Get chain of custody for an entity */
-    getChainOfCustody: async (entityId: string) =>
-      await get<Record<string, unknown>[]>(`/custody/${encodeURIComponent(entityId)}`) ?? [],
+    /** Get chain of custody for an entity — returns { data, error? } to distinguish empty from failure */
+    getChainOfCustody: async (entityId: string): Promise<ServiceArrayResult<Record<string, unknown>>> => {
+      const result = await get<Record<string, unknown>[]>(`/custody/${encodeURIComponent(entityId)}`);
+      if (result === null) return { data: [], error: 'ChittyLedger unreachable or returned error' };
+      return { data: result };
+    },
 
     /** Verify ledger chain integrity */
     verifyChain: () => get<{ valid: boolean; errors: string[] }>('/verify'),
diff --git a/src/routes/mcp.ts b/src/routes/mcp.ts
index 0258e30..31b3bee 100644
--- a/src/routes/mcp.ts
+++ b/src/routes/mcp.ts
@@ -1225,16 +1225,21 @@ async function executeTool(env: Env, sql: NeonQueryFunction<false, false>, toolN
       // Facts from ChittyEvidence
       const evidence = evidenceClient(env);
       if (evidence) {
-        const facts = startDate && endDate
-          ? await evidence.getFactsByDateRange(caseId, startDate, endDate)
-          : await evidence.getEnrichedFacts(caseId);
-        if (facts) {
-          for (const f of facts) {
-            if (!f.fact_date) continue;
-            events.push({ id: `fact:${f.id}`, date: f.fact_date, type: 'fact', title: f.fact_text.slice(0, 120), factType: f.fact_type, confidence: f.confidence, status: f.verification_status });
+        try {
+          const facts = startDate && endDate
+            ? await evidence.getFactsByDateRange(caseId, startDate, endDate)
+            : await evidence.getEnrichedFacts(caseId);
+          if (facts) {
+            for (const f of facts) {
+              if (!f.fact_date) continue;
+              events.push({ id: `fact:${f.id}`, date: f.fact_date, type: 'fact', title: f.fact_text.slice(0, 120), factType: f.fact_type, confidence: f.confidence, status: f.verification_status });
+            }
+          } else {
+            warnings.push('Failed to fetch facts from ChittyEvidence');
           }
-        } else {
-          warnings.push('Failed to fetch facts from ChittyEvidence');
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.error('[mcp/get_case_timeline] evidence facts error:', err);
+          warnings.push('Evidence facts unavailable: service error');
         }
       } else {
         warnings.push('ChittyEvidence not configured');
diff --git a/src/routes/timeline.ts b/src/routes/timeline.ts
index b4d59c1..c418df2 100644
--- a/src/routes/timeline.ts
+++ b/src/routes/timeline.ts
@@ -65,14 +65,16 @@ timelineRoutes.get('/cases/:caseId/timeline', async (c) => {
   // 2. Fetch legal deadlines from ChittyCommand DB
   const sql = getDb(c.env);
   try {
-    const deadlines = await sql`
-      SELECT id, title, description, deadline_date, deadline_type, status, urgency_score
-      FROM cc_legal_deadlines
-      WHERE case_ref = ${caseId}
-      ${startDate ? sql`AND deadline_date >= ${startDate}` : sql``}
-      ${endDate ? sql`AND deadline_date <= ${endDate}` : sql``}
-      ORDER BY deadline_date ASC
-    `;
+    let deadlines;
+    if (startDate && endDate) {
+      deadlines = await sql`SELECT id, title, description, deadline_date, deadline_type, status, urgency_score FROM cc_legal_deadlines WHERE case_ref = ${caseId} AND deadline_date >= ${startDate} AND deadline_date <= ${endDate} ORDER BY deadline_date ASC`;
+    } else if (startDate) {
+      deadlines = await sql`SELECT id, title, description, deadline_date, deadline_type, status, urgency_score FROM cc_legal_deadlines WHERE case_ref = ${caseId} AND deadline_date >= ${startDate} ORDER BY deadline_date ASC`;
+    } else if (endDate) {
+      deadlines = await sql`SELECT id, title, description, deadline_date, deadline_type, status, urgency_score FROM cc_legal_deadlines WHERE case_ref = ${caseId} AND deadline_date <= ${endDate} ORDER BY deadline_date ASC`;
+    } else {
+      deadlines = await sql`SELECT id, title, description, deadline_date, deadline_type, status, urgency_score FROM cc_legal_deadlines WHERE case_ref = ${caseId} ORDER BY deadline_date ASC`;
+    }
     for (const d of deadlines) {
       events.push({
         id: `deadline:${d.id}`,