If you received a summons for a lawsuit, you have 35 days to respond. After this time, you could lose the case by default judgment. To respond to a lawsuit summons, you need to complete the packet “How to File an Answer to a Complaint in Civil Court.” It includes the instructions and answer form.
CIVIL COMPLAINT – A civil action is commenced by filing a complaint with the court. You must complete and submit an original and two copies of the enclosed complaint form as well as the Civil Cover Sheet. You should also keep an additional copy of any document filed with the Court for your own records.
All parties opposing the motion shall file their opposition papers at least 14 days prior to the new motion day, and the moving party shall file its reply papers, if any, at least seven calendar days prior to the new motion day.
On a separate page or pages, write a short and plain statement of the answer to the allegations in the complaint. Number the paragraphs. The answer should correspond to each paragraph in the complaint, with paragraph 1 of the answer corresponding to paragraph 1 of the complaint, etc.