What actually happens if someone sues you?

A lawsuit begins when the plaintiff files a complaint and has you formally served with it along with a summons. The summons states your deadline to respond, commonly 20 to 30 days depending on the court. Filing a written answer by that deadline is the single most important thing you do, because failing to respond allows the court to enter a default judgment, meaning you lose automatically without any examination of whether the claim had merit. Default judgments can then be enforced through wage garnishment, bank levies, and liens. This is the most common way people lose cases they might have won, and it is especially prevalent in consumer debt collection suits, where a large share of defendants never appear.

After an answer is filed, most cases enter discovery, where both sides exchange documents and take depositions, and the majority settle before trial. Two immediate practical steps: check whether you have insurance that covers the claim, since homeowners, renters, and auto policies frequently include a duty to defend and will provide a lawyer, and check the statute of limitations, because time-barred claims are routinely filed anyway and the defense is waived if you do not raise it. If the amount is small, the case may belong in small claims court, where procedures are simplified and lawyers are sometimes not permitted. Many jurisdictions have self-help centers and legal aid organizations for people who cannot afford counsel, and using them beats ignoring the papers.