What are the consequences of not responding to a summons or complaint?

If you do not respond to a summons or complaint in California, you could face serious consequences. There are two courses of action that can be taken when a defendant fails to respond to a summons or complaint: default judgment or dismissal. A default judgment occurs when the defendant fails to respond to the summons or complaint. In this case, the plaintiff can ask the court to enter a judgment against the defendant in their favor. This means that the court would decide the case without involving the defendant. The defendant can face monetary penalties, such as being required to pay the plaintiff’s legal fees. The other possible action is a dismissal. This happens if the plaintiff or court fails to take any action against the defendant when they fail to respond to the summons or complaint. This means that the lawsuit is dropped and the plaintiff can’t take any action against the defendant. In short, the consequences of not responding to a summons or complaint in California can be serious. You could face either a default judgment or a dismissal, with the default judgment potentially resulting in monetary penalties. It is best to respond to the summons or complaint in a timely manner to avoid these outcomes.

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What are the consequences of not responding to a summons or complaint?

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