What is a summons and complaint?

A summons and complaint is a legal document served in Washington that starts a lawsuit. It is served upon the defendant (the person being sued) and requires that they respond to the complaint within a specified time period. The summons informs the defendant of their legal rights, what they have been accused of, and what their options are in responding to the complaint. The complaint is the document where the plaintiff (the person who is suing) explains why they are suing the defendant, what legal action they are seeking, and what damages (financial compensation) they are seeking. In Washington, a Plaintiff must serve the defendant with a summons and complaint in order to protect their legal rights. Until the defendant officially responds to the complaint, the complaint and summons cannot be used as evidence in court. The plaintiff must also provide proof that the defendant was officially served with the summons and complaint. Once the summons and complaint has been served and accepted, the defendant has the legal right to file a response to the complaint within the time specified in the summons. The response may contain any defense they might have to the allegations. If they fail to respond, the plaintiff may be granted a default judgement which means that the defendant will have to abide by the terms of the judgement without having the chance to dispute the allegations.

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What is a summons and complaint?

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