When you receive a lawsuit (usually called a “complaint”) in the mail, it should come with a civil summons. The civil summons directs you to file an answer with the court within 30 days of receiving the summons and complaint. If you need more time, you can file a motion with the Clerk of Court’s office to request a 30 day extension to respond to the lawsuit. However, you must ask for the extension prior to the the lapse of the initial 30 days.
It is crucial that you do not ignore the civil summons or complaint. A failure to respond will likely result in a default victory for the person that sued you. Unsurprisingly, our advice is that you should always seek a consultation with a lawyer if you have received a complaint and summons. You can typically pay a lawyer for a consultation to review the complaint and summons, and give you a recommendation on how to proceed in responding to the complaint and summons.
If you have become involved in litigation and would like legal assistance, please feel free to contact Kreger Brodish to schedule a consultation.
