You will not go to jail. You have 21 days to respond to the complaint. However, the 21 days on the clock do not start to run until you are actually served with the summons by the process server.
The Complaint: The complaint in replevin typically must include: (i) a description of the property to be replevied; (ii) its value; (iii) its location if known; and (iv) the material facts upon which the claim is based – in other words, why the filing party is entitled to seize the property that has been taken.
What happens once I file the replevin? Your case will be set for a hearing to go before a judge. An Order To Show Cause will be issued and served on the defendant, notifying him/her of the action and the date of the hearing. You will also be notified of the hearing date.
In Nevada, replevin is achieved through the statutory process called claim and delivery. The claim and delivery process involves obtaining a writ of possession from the court and having the personal property seized by the constable or sheriff.
Replevin may also be referred to as claim and delivery. Creditors use replevin actions to recover collateral when debtors default on secured loans. For example, a bank might file a replevin action against a borrower to repossess the borrower's car after he missed too many payments.
Repossession, colloquially repo, is a "self-help" type of action in which the party having right of ownership of a property takes the property in question back from the party having right of possession without invoking court proceedings.
Filing: You will have to give documents to the court that explain what was taken, by whom and when. You will need to show the court proof that these items belong to you. You will also have to tell the other person that you are starting a court case against them.
A consumer who defaults on a vehicle loan usually faces the repossession of the vehicle, but sometimes a lender will use replevin as an alternative. While repossession does not involve a formal process in court, replevin consists of getting the court to order the consumer to return the vehicle to the lender.