What is the Deadline for a Defendant's Answer to Avoid a Default Judgment?

April 18, 2024

What is the Deadline for a Defendant’s Answer to Avoid a Default Judgment?

ZumaZip’s got your back when it comes to meeting deadlines for filing an Answer in court. Deadlines typically range from 14 to 35 days, depending on your situation. But no need to stress about counting days on your calendar. Just use our handy deadline calculator to determine your specific deadline.

And if you find yourself facing a debt lawsuit, don’t fret! With ZumaZip, you can respond in just 15 minutes and set yourself up to win your case. We’ve streamlined the process to make it quick and easy for you, so you can focus on putting your best foot forward in court.

Receiving a debt collection lawsuit can definitely be overwhelming, stirring up stress and anxiety for many. It’s common to have a flood of questions and worries swirling in your mind. One of the first things you might wonder about is, “How much time do I have to respond to the debt collector’s Complaint?”

Well, worry not! This page is here to provide you with essential information about the deadlines for filing your Answer to a debt collector’s Complaint in each of the 50 states. Consider it your go-to resource for navigating this challenging situation with confidence.

ZumaZip can help file an Answer in all 50 states.

The time you have to respond to a Summons in a debt collection lawsuit differs from state to state. Typically, courts grant defendants around 20-30 days to respond, but this deadline varies.

Below, you’ll find an overview of the response deadlines in each of the 50 states. However, please note that this list doesn’t cover every detail or exception in each state. Laws can change, so it’s essential to check your Summons document for your specific deadline.

State	Deadline	Source
Iowa	20	CaseText Iowa Rules
Kansas	21 days	Kansas Legislature
Kentucky	20 days	Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure
Louisiana	15 days	Louisiana State Legislature
Maine	20 days	Maine Rules of Civil Procedure
Maryland	30 days	CaseText Maryland Rules
Massachusetts	20 days	Mass.gov
Michigan	21 days	Michigan Rules of Civil Procedure
Minnesota	20 days	Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure
Mississippi	30 days	CaseText Mississippi Rules
Missouri	30 days	Missouri Judicial Branch
Montana	21 days	Montana Rules of Civil Procedure
Nebraska	30 days	Nebraska Judicial Branch
Nevada	20 days	Supreme Court of Nevada Law Library
New Hampshire	30 days	New Hampshire Judicial Branch
New Jersey	35 days	New Hampshire Judicial Branch
New Mexico	30 days	New Mexico Judicial Branch
New York	20 days	NYCourts.gov
North Carolina	30 days	North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure
North Dakota	20 days – Small claims cases 21 days – Regular civil cases	North Dakota Courts District North Dakota Courts Small Claims
Ohio	28 days	CaseText Ohio Rules
Oklahoma	20 days	Justia Oklahoma Rules
Oregon	30 days	Oregon Courts
Pennsylvania	20 days	Pennsylvania Code
Rhode Island	20 days	CaseText Rhode Island Rules
South Carolina	30 days	South Carolina Legal Services
South Dakota	30 days	South Dakota Legislature
Tennessee	21 days	Tennessee Courts
Texas	14 days – Justice Court case 20 days – District Court cases	Texas Appleseed
Utah	21 days	Utah Courts
Vermont	21 days – Regular civil cases 30 days – Small claims cases	Vermont Law Help
Virginia	21 days	CaseText Virginia Rules
West Virginia	20 days – Self-represented defendants 30 days – Defendant with an attorney	West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure
Wisconsin	20 days	Wisconsin State Legislature
Wyoming	20 days – served Summons in WY 30 days – served Summons elsewhere	Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure

Here’s a map depicting the table above, showing the time frame you have to respond to a debt collection lawsuit before losing by default. The darker the color, the quicker you need to respond.

Why You Want to Avoid a Default Judgment

Avoiding a default judgment is crucial. If you miss the deadline to file your Answer, the debt collector may ask the court to enter a “default judgment” against you. Once this happens, the debt collector gains the authority to garnish your wages, seize your property, and even access funds in your bank accounts. Clearly, this is not a situation you want to find yourself in when dealing with a debt collector. It’s vital to take action and respond to the Complaint to prevent this outcome.

ZumaZip makes it easy to avoid a default judgment.

What is ZumaZip?

ZumaZip is your go-to solution for responding to a debt collection lawsuit hassle-free.

Here’s how it works: ZumaZip is a user-friendly web application that guides you through the process step by step. It prompts you with all the necessary questions to complete your answer accurately. Once you’re done, you have two options. You can either print out the completed forms and mail them to the courts yourself, or you can choose to have ZumaZip take care of it for you. With ZumaZip, you can opt to have an attorney review your document before it’s filed. It’s all about making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible for you.

Important Takeaways on Responding to a Debt Collection Lawsuit

Here are some key points on what you need to do if you are served with a debt collection lawsuit:

Do not ignore the Complaint
File your Answer with the Clerk of Court before the expiration of the filing deadline.
Review the 50 State summary provided by ZumaZip to confirm how many days you have to file your response.