How long do you have to answer a lawsuit in California?

Your deadline to respond after being served a summons in California, by court. The single controlling deadline is the date on your actual summons. General information, not legal advice.

General / district court	30 days
Limited / small-claims (most debt suits)	30 days (limited civil)
How days are counted	calendar days

California note: The 5-day deadline (CCP §1167) is eviction-only; ordinary debt suits use the standard 30 days. Source: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §412.20(a)(3).

Got served papers — or a suspicious "lawsuit"? Check it

Paste the summons or message (or upload a photo) for an instant read on whether it's a real court document or a scam — and what the case is about.

What to do if you were served in California

• Read the summons for the exact deadline and whether it says to file an Answer or to APPEAR on a date — don't rely on a generic day count.
• File your written Answer (or appear) on time — missing it means a default judgment against you.
• Raise every defense in your Answer, including the statute of limitations if the debt is old, wrong amount, not your debt, or improper service.
• If it's a phone/email "lawsuit" demanding payment to avoid arrest, it's a scam — real suits come as court papers with a case number.

True in every state

• Miss the deadline and the court can enter a DEFAULT JUDGMENT against you — the plaintiff wins automatically without proving its case, and can then garnish wages, levy bank accounts, or lien property.
• Filing an Answer preserves your defenses and forces the plaintiff to PROVE the debt — including that it owns the debt and that the amount is correct; debt-buyer plaintiffs often lack complete documentation.
• The statute of limitations is an affirmative defense you generally must RAISE in your Answer — if you don't plead it you can lose the protection even on a time-barred debt.
• Common defenses: it's not your debt / mistaken identity, the amount is wrong, it was already paid or settled, it's past the statute of limitations, the plaintiff can't prove it owns the debt, or you were never properly served.
• The deadline and how days are counted vary by state, court, and service method — calendar vs business days, in-state vs out-of-state service, and general court vs small-claims/justice court can all change it. Always read the served summons.
• In many states' small-claims/justice/magistrate courts (where most debt suits are filed) you don't file a written Answer at all — you must APPEAR on the hearing/return date printed on the summons, and simply not showing up causes a default.
• A 'summons' that arrives only as a phone call, text, or email demanding payment to 'avoid arrest' is a SCAM, not a real lawsuit — a genuine suit comes as physical court papers with a court name and a case/docket number, and you are never arrested for a consumer debt.
• You can usually ask the court for more time, and fee waivers exist if you can't afford filing fees — court self-help centers, legal aid, and your state bar's lawyer-referral service may help. Act before the deadline, not after.

FAQ

How long do I have to respond to a court summons in California?

In California the general trial-court deadline to file an Answer is 30 days. But most debt lawsuits are filed in the limited/small-claims court, where it is: 30 days (limited civil). The single controlling deadline is the date printed on your served summons.

What happens if I ignore a lawsuit in California?

If you miss the deadline the court can enter a default judgment against you — the plaintiff wins automatically and can garnish wages or levy bank accounts. Responding on time preserves your defenses and forces the plaintiff to prove the debt.

Is a "summons" by phone or email a real lawsuit in California?

No. A real lawsuit arrives as physical court papers with a court name and a case/docket number. A phone call, text, or email demanding payment to "avoid arrest" is a scam — you are never arrested for a consumer debt.