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You respond by filing a written answer with the court before the deadline on your summons, then serving a copy on the other side, usually by mail. The clock starts when you are served, not when you open the envelope. Mail your filing early enough that it arrives on time, and keep proof of every mailing.
This is general information, not legal advice.
The summons and complaint are two different papers, and they do different jobs. The complaint states what the other side claims you did and what they want. The summons tells you where and by when to respond. Read the summons first, even if the complaint is the scarier document. The deadline, the court name, and the case number all live on the summons, and courts treat that deadline as strict.
Deadlines vary by court and by how you were served. A common pattern is a few weeks from service, but the exact count, and whether weekends and holidays extend it, depends on that court's rules. Some courts count from the day a process server handed you the papers; others count from the day mailed service is deemed complete, which may be days after you actually received it. If the summons is unclear, call the court clerk and ask: clerks cannot give legal advice, but they can explain their filing rules and hours.
An answer responds to the complaint paragraph by paragraph: admit, deny, or state that you lack enough information to admit or deny. That structure matters because anything you fail to deny may be treated as admitted. Beyond the paragraph answers, an answer can raise defenses, such as a missed deadline on the other side's claim or a lack of jurisdiction, and can include counterclaims of your own.
Most courts provide answer forms for common case types, especially in small claims and family courts. Using the court's own form reduces the chance of a formatting rejection. Whatever you file, keep an exact copy of it. Courts do not send you a spare, and you will need that copy for every later step in the case.
| Step | What to mail or file | Proof to keep |
|---|---|---|
| 1. File with the court | The original answer, plus copies if the court requires them | File-stamped copy or clerk receipt |
| 2. Serve the other side | A copy of the filed answer, usually by first-class mail | Certificate or proof of service, signed and dated |
| 3. Track the deadline | Nothing to mail, but note the response deadline for the other side | Calendar entry and mailing receipts |
Many courts still accept filings by mail, though some now require electronic filing and treat mailed filings as exceptions. If your court accepts mail filing, send the answer to the clerk's mailing address shown on the summons or the court's website, and include any required filing fee or fee-waiver form. A frequent mistake is mailing to the courtroom address rather than the clerk's office: the two can differ, and a misdirected filing can miss its deadline while it is rerouted.
Here is the detail that costs people cases: in most courts, a mailed filing counts as filed when the clerk receives it, not when you post it. Mailing on the last day is a gamble. Send it days early, and use a service that gives you tracking and proof of delivery, such as certified mail with a return receipt. The receipt does not file the case for you, but it proves when the court got it.
After you file, you must serve a copy on the other side or their lawyer. Service by mail is the standard method in most civil cases: you mail a copy to the address they have listed with the court, then sign a certificate of service stating what you mailed, to whom, at what address, and on what date. You file that certificate with the court. Without it, the court has no record that the other side received your answer, and the case can stall or proceed without your position on record.
One subtle rule: the person who mails the copy generally cannot be a party to the case. In practice that means someone else, often a friend, a colleague, or your lawyer's office, drops it in the mail and signs the certificate. Check your court's rule before you serve anything yourself, because a defective service can be challenged and can force you to redo the step under time pressure.
Missing the response deadline can lead to a default judgment: the court may grant the other side what they asked for without hearing your side. Courts sometimes set aside a default, but you would have to explain the delay and show a valid defense, and there is no guarantee. If the deadline has already passed, act the same day: contact the court, consider filing late with an explanation, and talk to a lawyer promptly. Waiting rarely improves the position.
LetterAgent mails letters to US and Canadian addresses, and it can mail a letter connected to a case, such as correspondence to the other side's lawyer. But court filings often need exact copies, fee forms, and file-stamped originals, so check the court's rules before treating a mailed letter as a filed answer. Describe the letter to your AI assistant, approve the quoted price, and it is printed and mailed.
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