If you receive notice of a lawsuit, then you have to answer the suit within the specific time period (the time depends on the court.) These time periods are typically very short. If you fail to answer the suit within the appropriate time period, you may lose the case (this is cause a default.) It becomes much more expensive to reverse a default judgment, so timeing is the key. Once you answered the suit, the “discovery” portion of the case begins. During this phase, either side can ask questions of the other side regarding the case.
