What to Do After Receiving Court Papers

Someone just handed you a stack of court papers, or you found them taped to your door or waiting in your mailbox. Your heart is probably racing. That reaction is normal — but what you do in the next few days matters far more than how you feel right now. This guide walks you through the first steps: reading the papers, finding your deadline, understanding what each document is, and getting help before time runs out.

Deadlines to respond are strict. The clock usually starts the day you receive the papers, and courts rarely forgive a missed deadline. If you do not respond in time, the other side can ask for a default judgment — a ruling against you made without your side of the story ever being heard.

Do not ignore the papers

The single biggest mistake people make is setting court papers aside and hoping the problem goes away. It will not. A lawsuit does not pause because you did not open the envelope or because you think the claim is unfair.

If you do nothing, the person suing you can ask the court to enter a default judgment. Once that happens, the court treats the claims against you as true. Depending on the case, a default judgment can lead to garnished wages, frozen bank accounts, liens on property, or an eviction on your record. Undoing a default is possible in some situations, but it is much harder than responding on time in the first place.

Even if you believe the papers were sent to the wrong person, or that you were served improperly, respond anyway. You can raise those problems as part of your response. Ignoring the case does not preserve them — it usually forfeits them. Our guide to service of process basics explains what proper delivery looks like and why it matters.

Step 1: Read every page, front to back

Court papers usually arrive as a packet, not a single sheet. Read all of it, including attachments, exhibits, and any small print near the end. Skimming just the first page is how people miss hearing dates and deadlines.

As you read, look for these details and write them down:

• The court name and location. This tells you which court’s rules apply.
• The case number. You will need it for every call, form, and filing.
• The parties. Who is suing whom? Confirm your name is spelled correctly.
• Every date. Response deadlines, hearing dates, and any other time limits.
• Instructions. Many packets tell you exactly how and where to respond.

Keep the envelope and any delivery receipt too. The date and method of delivery can matter later, because many deadlines run from the day you were served.

Step 2: Find your deadline and treat it as fixed

Somewhere in the packet — almost always on the summons — is a statement of how long you have to respond. Response windows are often 20 to 30 days, but the exact number depends on your court, your state, and the type of case. Always use the number printed on your own papers, not a number from a website, a friend, or a case in another state.

Write the deadline on a calendar. Set reminders well before it, not the night before. Finding a legal aid office, filling out forms, and filing them all take time, and offices that help for free often have waiting lists.

If you cannot find a deadline anywhere in the packet, or the language confuses you, call the clerk of the court listed on the papers or visit the court’s self-help center. Clerks cannot give legal advice, but they can usually confirm procedural facts like a filing deadline.

Step 3: Figure out what each document is

Most civil lawsuits begin with two documents served together:

• The summons is the court’s official notice that you are being sued. It names the court and the parties, and it tells you how long you have to respond. Read more in our guide to what a summons is.
• The complaint is the other side’s story. It lays out who is suing you, what they say you did, and what they want the court to order — usually money, but sometimes property or specific actions. Our guide to what a complaint is breaks it down section by section.

Your packet may also include other items: a notice of hearing with a court date, exhibits like contracts or account statements, or local court instructions. Each piece matters, so keep the whole packet together in one folder. If a document title is unfamiliar, look it up before assuming it is unimportant.

Step 4: Note how the papers reached you

How you received the papers is not a trivial detail. Every state has rules about how lawsuits must be delivered — a system called service of process. Papers might be handed to you personally, left with an adult in your household, or mailed, depending on what your court allows.

Save everything that shows when and how the papers arrived: the envelope, a certified mail receipt, or a note about who handed them to you and when. If service was done improperly, that can sometimes be raised as a defense — but only if you respond and raise it, not if you ignore the case.

Step 5: Plan your response

In most civil cases, the formal written response to a complaint is called an answer. In it, you respond to each allegation — admitting what is true, denying what is not, and saying so when you genuinely do not know. You can also raise defenses of your own. Our guide to what an answer is explains how answers work and what goes into one.

An answer is not always the only option. Depending on the case, you might file a motion instead, negotiate a settlement, or — in some small claims courts — simply show up on the hearing date. What makes sense depends on your facts and your court’s rules. What never makes sense is doing nothing.

Many courts publish official answer forms and step-by-step instructions for people without lawyers. State court self-help websites, like California’s self-help center, are good examples of the kind of free guidance many states now offer. Look for the official self-help resources for the court named on your papers.

Watch out for fake court papers

Scammers sometimes send documents designed to look like lawsuits, especially around debt collection. Before you panic — and before you pay anyone — verify the case is real. Look up the court’s official website yourself (do not use links or phone numbers printed on suspicious papers) and search for the case number. Be very suspicious of any “court document” that demands payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. Real courts do not work that way.

If the case is real, take it seriously. If you cannot confirm it exists, contact the court directly using contact information you found independently.

When to get help

You do not have to handle a lawsuit alone, and you do not need to be able to afford a private lawyer to get real help. If the case involves your home, your wages, your family, or a significant amount of money, reach out early — free help is easier to get when the deadline is still weeks away, not days.

Start with our guide to finding legal help, which walks through court self-help centers, lawyer referral services, and law libraries. If your income is limited, see legal aid basics to learn how free civil legal aid works and whether you qualify. Nationwide, the Legal Services Corporation funds nonprofit legal aid offices in every state, and USA.gov maintains a directory of free and low-cost legal help.

Whatever route you choose, move quickly. The deadline on your summons does not wait while you look for help — and responding on time keeps every option open.