How To Respond To An Interpleader Complaint

Read the summons and make sure you know the date you must answer by. Read the complaint carefully. Write your answer. Sign and date the answer. Make copies for the plaintiff and yourself. Mail a copy to the plaintiff. File your answer with the court by the date on the summons.

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 must give you responses to your request for admissions within 30 days. You do not need to do anything if you do not get a response. The plaintiff has 30 days to deny or object to the statements.

The Answer. The defendant's response to a complaint is called the answer. The answer contains the defendant's version of the events leading to the lawsuit and may be based on the contents of the complaint. The filing of the answer is one option that the defendant has in deciding how to respond to the complaint.

(a) A defendant may file an answer with the reviewing official and the Office of Hearings and Appeals within 30 days of service of the complaint. An answer will be considered a request for an oral hearing.

There is no obligation to respond to alleged affirmative defenses....they can be contested at trial or summary judgment.

Your response to the complaint is called the answer. You should respond to each paragraph of the complaint matching your response to the exact number used in the complaint. Be very careful with the statement you make in your answer. These statements can become admissions of facts that could be used against you.

A complaint must state all of the plaintiff's claims against the defendant, and must also specify what remedy the plaintiff wants. After receiving the complaint, the defendant must respond with an answer.

You typically must initiate your interpleader action by filing your complaint with the clerk of the court in the county where the money or property at issue is located. Depending on the defendants and the amount of money at stake, federal court may be proper.