You’ve Been Served! What to do next?

You’ve Been Served!

So you have been served papers.  Now what?

First of all, don’t ignore them. Too many people put it out of their minds, wad them up, or just willfully ignore the papers that they have been served. This is a terrible idea.

As we have discussed, service of process is the courts way of confirming that you have notice of a pending matter. If you have notice and don’t do anything about it, you are likely to face a default judgment or other action to your detriment. You could also be held in contempt of court.

First, read the papers. They will contain valuable information that will let you know what the matter is about, and just how long you have to respond.

Second, get legal advice. Many attorneys will give free consultations and let you know the basics of where you stand. Some people who feel confident in their research and analysis skills can find out what they need to know on the internet.

Third, act accordingly. Remember, time is counting down from the moment you were served. The longer you take to get advice, the less time you or your attorney have to act to protect you and your rights.