In Virginia, you have 21 days to file an answer, or respond to the lawsuit, if it's filed in a circuit court. If the suit is filed in a district court, you need to show up at the time on your summons prepared to prove your case. If you fail to answer or appear as directed, a default judgment may be entered against you.

Federal Wage Garnishment Limits for Judgment Creditors If a judgment creditor is garnishing your wages, federal law provides that it can take no more than: 25% of your disposable income, or. the amount that your income exceeds 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less.

Your employer can't fire you the first time your wages are garnished. A garnishment is good for 30, 60, 90 or 180 days, at the choice of the judgment-creditor. The garnished money is under the control of the court until the garnishment period is over.

A. No more than 25% of disposable earnings in any pay period may be garnished to satisfy an ordinary debt.

Wages: In Virginia, the garnishment amount is limited to 25% of the person's disposable income. Disposable income is defined as gross income minus deductions for federal, state and local taxes, Social Security and Medicare contributions, union dues and health insurance premiums.

How much of your wages can be garnished? Creditors generally cannot garnish more than 25 percent of your “disposable wages." “Disposable” wages are the earnings that remain after deducting all withholdings required by law, or any of your disposable wages if you make less than $290 per week.

No more than 25% of disposable earnings in any pay period may be garnished to satisfy an ordinary debt. B. A garnishment for an ordinary debt may not reduce disposable earnings for a week to an amount less than the F.M.W.R. times 40; may not reduce disposable biweekly earnings to an amount less than the F.M.W.R.