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What Should I do If I Have Been Served With a Civil Lawsuit?

Especially if you have never been through this before, being served with a civil lawsuit can be terrifying. There are a few things you should know:
  • You have twenty days from the date you were served to respond.  This is often not the same date as when the lawsuit was filed.  Whatever the nature of the claims, you should contact an attorney right away.  If you miss the 20 day response deadline, you can lose by default.
  • Most of the time once you have a lawyer involved they can reach an agreement with the other side to extend the 20 day period to allow time to determine the best way to respond.
  • You should also be careful to preserve any documents or evidence you have relating to the dispute, whether you think it is helpful or not.  Once you are on notice of a lawsuit, you have a duty to preserve relevant evidence, and courts can impose serious sanctions if anything is lost or destroyed after that.
Above all, though you should act promptly in getting legal advice, there is no need to panic.  The documents you were served were drafted to look as bad for you as they possibly can, but you will have an opportunity to tell your side of the story, and your attorney can help put the best foot forward to either defend or settle the dispute.



Learn more here about what to expect as a defendant in a civil lawsuit.

Need Help With a Civil Lawsuit?

Contact Us
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​Sharon MA 02067

(781) 784-2322
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  • Home
  • Estate Planning
    • Massachusetts Wills and Trusts
    • Why You Need an Estate Plan
    • Massachusetts Estate Tax
    • Inheritance Tax
    • How to Make an Estate Plan
  • Employment Law Solutions
    • Employment Law MA
    • Employment Termination
    • Sexual Harassment at Work >
      • Sexual Harassment in a Small Business
      • Sexual Harassment and Non Disclosure Agreements
      • Sexual Harassment and Remote Work
    • Wage and Hour Laws
    • Independent Contractor Law
    • Non Compete Agreements >
      • Are non competes enforceable
      • Massachusetts Non Compete Act
      • Pre 2018 Massachusetts Non Competes
    • Equal Pay Act
  • Business Law Solutions
    • Small Business Law
    • Business Contract Basics
    • Civil Suit Defense
    • Legal Issues for Start Ups
    • Trademark Basics
    • How to Incorporate
    • Sale of Business
  • Attorneys
    • Emily Smith-Lee >
      • 2018 Lawyer of the Year
    • Jenna Ordway
    • Rebecca Rogers
    • Stowell Simonton
    • Elijah Bresley
  • Reviews
  • Blog
  • Contact