YOU’VE BEEN SUED. NOW WHAT?
WHAT TO EXPECT NOW THAT YOU’VE BEEN SERVED WITH A COMPLAINT
You’ve been served with a lawsuit – what do you do first? Kelli Haas & Associates is here to help.
COMPLAINT
Do not delay when you’ve been served with a Complaint. The Complaint describes to the court what supposedly happened, what laws are involved, and how the person suing you thinks you have done wrong. Consult with an attorney you trust. There are strict timelines you must follow after you get the Complaint, or a judgment could be entered against you. A judgment against you is a bad thing. You don’t want that. An attorney will help to explain things to you and make the entire process easier on you. Peace of mind is priceless. Take care of yourself and obtain the legal advice you need.
ANSWER
If you have received a Complaint filed against you, you are usually referred to as the Defendant or Respondent. What’s next is that an Answer must be filed. Go quickly to an attorney, do not wait! The attorney must gather facts, look into the law, and file the Answer for you. The Answer states whether you believe the facts claimed in the lawsuit are true or not and raises any defenses you may have. Be sure to tell them everything about your case, answer any questions they may have, and provide any documents they think they need.
The time limit to get this done is very short. For many kinds of cases, the time limit to Answer is thirty days from when you received the Complaint. For some cases that time limit is twenty days, and for some kinds of lawsuits the Answer period is as short as ten days. If you do not Answer in time, the person suing you may ask the court to rule in their favor by default. Default is not something you want if you have been served with a Complaint.
If you have been sued, please give us a call. We are here to answer questions and help you make informed decisions. You can reach me by telephone at (615) 567-7303 and by email at bill@khalawgroup.com.