How to respond to a summons (Don't ignore it)

Written by NotALawyer Legal AI · Reviewed by External Legal AI · Published April 27, 2026 · Last reviewed June 26, 2026

Served with a summons? Don't ignore it. The summons starts a clock — usually 20 to 30 days — to file a written answer. Miss that deadline and the other side can win a default judgment for everything they asked for, no argument needed. Here's the playbook.

1. Read the summons and complaint end to end

The summons names the court, the case number, who's suing you, and how long you have to answer. The complaint lists what they're claiming. Read both all the way through, even if the language is confusing.

2. Pin down the answer deadline now

Most state courts give 20–30 days to file an answer; federal court is usually 21. The clock starts the day you were served, not the date printed on the document. Calendar it twice.

3. Decide: answer it yourself or hire a lawyer

Small debt-collection cases (a few thousand dollars) are sometimes handled pro se — on your own. Bigger or messier matters — personal injury, contract disputes, employment — usually call for at least a consultation with a lawyer.

4. Don't contact the plaintiff directly

If the other side has a lawyer, route everything through lawyers. An apology, an explanation, or a quick text to "work it out" can all become evidence against you.

5. File an answer that responds to every allegation

Your answer admits, denies, or says you lack knowledge for each numbered paragraph in the complaint. Add any affirmative defenses (statute of limitations, lack of standing, and the like). Your answer can also include counterclaims — claims you have against the plaintiff arising from the same dispute. File it with the court and serve a copy on the other side.

6. Miss the deadline and you risk a default judgment

No answer in time, and the plaintiff can ask for a default judgment — the full amount claimed plus fees and costs, with no look at the merits. Default judgments are very hard to undo.

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Sources & primary references

Summons answer deadline by stateCompare the days to answer in all 50 states.

This is how many days you generally have after being handed a summons and complaint to file a written answer with the court before the other side can ask for a default judgment against you. Each value is cited to the state statute or agency; a state with no sourced figure shows "Not yet sourced."

State	Days to answer	Source
Alabama	30 days	Ala. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Alaska	20 days	Alaska R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Arizona	20 days	Ariz. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Arkansas	30 days	Ark. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
California	30 days	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §412.20
Colorado	21 days	C.R.C.P. 12(a)
Connecticut	30 days*	Conn. Practice Book §10-8 / 10-30
Delaware	20 days	Del. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 12(a)
District of Columbia	21 days	D.C. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 12(a)
Florida	20 days	Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(a)
Georgia	30 days	O.C.G.A. §9-11-12(a)
Hawaii	20 days	Haw. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Idaho	21 days	Idaho R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Illinois	30 days	735 ILCS 5/2-301; Ill. S. Ct. R. 181
Indiana	20 days	Ind. Trial Rule 6(C)
Iowa	20 days	Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.303
Kansas	21 days	K.S.A. 60-212(a)
Kentucky	20 days	Ky. R. Civ. P. (CR) 12.01
Louisiana	21 days	La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1001
Maine	20 days	Me. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Maryland	30 days	Md. Rule 2-321
Massachusetts	20 days	Mass. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Michigan	21 days	Mich. Ct. R. 2.108(A)
Minnesota	20 days	Minn. R. Civ. P. 12.01
Mississippi	30 days	Miss. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Missouri	30 days	Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 55.25(a)
Montana	21 days	Mont. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Nebraska	30 days	Neb. Rev. Stat. §25-516.01
Nevada	21 days	Nev. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
New Hampshire	30 days	N.H. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 9
New Jersey	35 days	N.J. Ct. R. 4:6-1
New Mexico	30 days	N.M. R. Civ. P. 1-012(A)
New York	20-30 days	N.Y. CPLR 320(a)
North Carolina	30 days	N.C. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
North Dakota	21 days	N.D. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Ohio	28 days	Ohio Civ. R. 12(A)
Oklahoma	20 days	12 Okla. Stat. §2012(A)
Oregon	30 days	Or. R. Civ. P. 7C
Pennsylvania	20 days	Pa. R.C.P. 1026
Rhode Island	20 days	R.I. Super. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
South Carolina	30 days	S.C. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
South Dakota	30 days	S.D. Codified Laws §15-6-12(a)
Tennessee	30 days	Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.01
Texas	~20 days*	Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b)
Utah	21 days	Utah R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Vermont	21 days	Vt. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Virginia	21 days	Va. Sup. Ct. R. 3:8
Washington	20 days	Wash. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 12(a)
West Virginia	20 days	W. Va. R. Civ. P. 12(a)
Wisconsin	20 days	Wis. Stat. §802.06(1)
Wyoming	20 days	Wyo. R. Civ. P. 12(a)

General information, not legal advice. Rules change and exceptions apply — confirm the current rule with the cited source for your state.

NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.