That depends upon the laws of the state in which the judgment was issued, the least amount of time would be 10 business days from the time the summons was served.
if the Summons is for civil court for debt, usually 20 - 30 days---depends on your state.
Can I serve a summons to the defendants attorney if the defendant cannot be found
Yes, the Plaintiff needs to amend the pleadings attached to the summons to reflect the correct name of the defendant. Usually a Petition or a Complaint.
You would not have to answer the summons as long as the plaintiff agrees not to move for entry of a default judgment for you not answering the summons within the appropriate time. Also, if you do reach a settlement be sure that the plaintiff promises to and does dismiss the lawsuit when the money is paid.
if the summons was returned unserved, the plaintiff should asked the court to issue an alias summons if the whereabouts of the defendant is ascertained.
A processor server who loses the original summons that was presented to (them) by the Plaintiff must file an affidavit stating that the original summons whereabouts cannot be located.
what happen's if a respondent dose not serve the petitioner a response to a summons
Of course. All the plaintiff will need to do however, is publish the summons in the paper and you will still be considered served.
If you are suing a city or other type of municipality, you serve the summons on the Clerk of the city or municipality.
This is usually the responsibility of the plaintiff, or in some cases an officer of the court may do it.
It is possible for a creditor to receive a judgment by default when the debtor does not appear on the date of the trial (hearing). In most instances all that is needed is for the creditor plaintiff to make a reasonable attempt to serve the person named on the civil summons and not necessary for the summons to be physically placed in the defendant's hands.
Yes, summons can still be obtained even if the defendant never received a letter of demand. The legal process typically requires the plaintiff to properly serve the summons and complaint to the defendant in order to initiate the lawsuit. If the defendant does not respond to the summons, a default judgment may be issued against them.
The answer to a summons explains the position of the plaintiff and defendant in a court case. This is the basis of either the complaint or the reasons behind actions which led to the complaint being filed.