When a plaintiff (person or entity) files a lawsuit, the person or entity being sued is generally known as the defendant. The defendant is served with (usually handed in person) a copy of the lawsuit, accompanied by information stating the time within which the defendant must file an answer to the lawsuit—usually 20 to 30 days after receipt of the lawsuit.
In Texas, when a plaintiff initiates a lawsuit, the party being sued is referred to as the defendant. The defendant must be served with a copy of the lawsuit, which is a process that typically involves physically handing the documents to the defendant. This service of process also includes a citation that informs the defendant of the time frame within which they are required to respond to the lawsuit. In Texas, the defendant generally has until 10:00 a.m. on the Monday following the expiration of 20 days from the date of service to file an answer with the court. This means that if a defendant is served on any day of the week, they count 20 days from that day, and then the following Monday by 10:00 a.m. is their deadline to respond. Failure to respond within this time frame can lead to a default judgment, where the court may grant the plaintiff the relief sought without the defendant's input.
