What could happen if I ignore the summons and complaint and do nothing?

After the five days are up, if you have not filed an Answer to challenge the eviction, the landlord can ask the court clerk for a “default judgment.” If this happens, you will NOT go before a judge. This means that the landlord automatically wins the case and gets the property back from you.

Sometimes the court will allow you to “re-open” the case after entering a “default judgment” if you have a good reason for not filing the Answer on time. If this happens to you, contact a legal aid organization and ask for assistance with a default eviction.

NOTE: You should not assume that the court will allow you to “re-open” your case. In many cases, the tenant’s request is denied. Therefore, you must try to file your Answer within the 5 days so that you do not lose your case by missing a legal deadline.