Failure to Respond: If a defendant fails to answer the complaint or file a motion to dismiss within the time limit set forth in the summons, the defendant is in default. The plaintiff can ask the court clerk to make a note of that fact in the file, a procedure called entry of default.
The plaintiff shall serve his reply to a counterclaim in the answer within twenty-eight days after service of the answer or, if a reply is ordered by the court, within twenty-eight days after service of the order, unless the order otherwise directs.
Rule 33 - Interrogatories to Parties (A) Availability; procedures for use. Any party, without leave of court, may serve upon any other party up to forty written interrogatories to be answered by the party served.
Good practice requires a timely acknowledgement of a complaint. The experience of customers in other sectors shows that a response within two working days increases their confidence in a complaint handling process.
When must a defendant respond to the complaint? In Ohio, a defendant must respond within 28 days after being served the summons and complaint or after completion of service by publi- cation (Ohio Civ. R. Rule 12).
(A) Time of filing answer. A respondent against whom a complaint has been issued and on whom a notice of hearing and copy of the complaint has been served shall file a written answer within twenty-eight days from the date of service of the complaint and notice of hearing.
A civil action filed in a limited jurisdiction court is a claim against another party for damages of an amount up to $10,000.00. These lawsuits are designed to resolve civil disputes before a justice of the peace. Parties in a civil lawsuit may be represented by attorneys and appeal their case to a higher court.
Take the Complaint with you to the Clerk's office and show it to the Clerk to confirm that you are in the right office. Then give the Clerk both your original Answer and your photocopy. Ask the Clerk to file-stamp the original and the copy and to give you your copy back.
In essence, a legal complaint initiates a lawsuit, while a lawsuit encompasses the entire process of resolving the dispute in court. The existence of a lawsuit and its course through the judicial process is also referred to as “litigation.”
Comply With the Relevant Federal, State, and Local Rules. Research Before Writing. Allege Subject Matter Jurisdiction, Personal Jurisdiction, and Venue. Jurisdiction. Draft Concise and Plain Statement of the Facts. Factual Allegations. Draft Separate Counts for Each Legal Claim. Plead Facts With Particularity Where Necessary.