What happens when a complaint is filed in court?

When the complaint is filed, the court clerk will issue a summons, which gives the name and file number of the lawsuit and the address of the attorney filing the complaint, and instructs the defendant that he/she/it has a specific time to file an answer or other response.

When to file an answer in a civil case?

The answer gives the plaintiff notice of the issues the defendant will raise as the case progresses and enables the plaintiff to adequately prepare a case. In most jurisdictions, the answer must be filed within twenty days after receipt of the summons and complaint, although local rules and customs may dictate different filing times.

What should I know before drafting an answer to a civil complaint?

Accordingly, an individual cannot forget to consult the local court rules when filing an answer, or any pleading. Before drafting an answer, one must be sure to research all legal claims that the adversary asserts.

What’s the legal definition of a civil complaint?

Federal courts and other jurisdictions that follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require a brief, simple pleading known as a notice pleading. The notice pleading informs the defendant of the allegations and the basis for the claim.

What does it take to file a civil complaint?

When the plaintiff goes to file the complaint with the court clerk, he or she will pay a filing fee and have the court issue a summons for the complaint. A summons is a legal document notifying the defendant that a civil case has been filed against him or her.

What happens when you file a civil action?

If your COMPLAINT is filed, your case will be drawn to a District Judge and assigned a civil action number. The completed SUMMONS (Attachment 4) will be signed and sealed by the clerk and returned to you. Your next step is to SERVE (inform) each of the defendants that he or she is being sued. This may be done in two ways: 1.

When does the defendant have to respond to a complaint?

Some important deadlines include: Answer is due within a specific deadline after service of the Summons and Complaint: The defendant usually has 21 days after service of the Summons and Complaint to respond by serving a written Answer on the plaintiff.

What happens if you don’t file a response to a lawsuit?

If you do not file a written response within the required time, the “plaintiff” (the party suing you) can ask the court for a default judgment against you for everything she asked for in her complaint. After the plaintiff gets a default judgment, she can try to garnish your wages, attach your bank account, or take your property.