In every state, there is a limit to the amount of time you have to file an answer to your spouse's divorce petition. At minimum, keep the following in mind: Rule #1: Never ignore a summons […] If you ignore the lawsuit, the court will enter an automatic judgment against you, known as a default judgment. This is where the saying “You got served” comes from. to make periodic child support payments in a set amount), or face penalties for violation of the order. The purpose of this of course is for the Plaintiff to give you notice that you have been sued. If someone else signs for it or the mailman ignores the delivery requirement, then the court won’t consider that you have been properly served. Of course, even if you file an answer to the lawsuit, you can still lose the case. You also need to sign for it. However, in every state, the countdown begins the day you are served with your divorce papers. In legal matters where someone's presence is necessary for testimony or resolution in a dispute, there is a process to officially notify that person. In legal terms, an "order" is a command entered by a judge (usually a family court judge in child support cases), instructing parties to take some action (i.e. Service is accomplished when you receive the citation and petition by hand delivery or another authorized means. The number of days you have varies from state to state. Don’t expect a process server to say, “You got served” while handing you an envelope full of legal documents. Essentially, documents that describe legal actions are served to the individual who has legal action taken against them. If you have been sued for a debt in Texas you have to be properly served with the lawsuit. Lots of people deny getting served, only to find out a household member got served and forgot all about it. So if you've been served with a summons, based on my experience, you may want to consider Option 4(a), above, Do Some Focused Study of the Judicial System Specific to Your Case and Win – Represent Yourself as Pro Se Litigant and Option 4(b) as a second choice if that suits you better. If you’re the defendant, it’s wise to read all the advice given to the plaintiff, so you understand how small claims court works. Knowing what the opposition is up to may also give you some ideas on how to defend your case. (ii) Can you refuse to be served with court papers? Second, when you are properly served, this starts a clock in family law court. Courts are pretty generous in saying who’s a family … You’re going to jail, you’re going to pay child support, you’re getting evicted … you’re going to face some consequences. Before a person or a company to whom you owe money can win a judgment against you, they must first file a lawsuit in court. They’re more likely to say something basic like “These are legal documents for you.” Process servers want to do their job more than they want to say something witty or dramatic. The law varies from state to state. Be sure, then, that somebody, where you live or stay, didn’t get served with the court papers aimed at you. In some states, the defendant doesn’t have to formally accept the paper.

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