All lawsuit guides
Search by state, plaintiff, or lawsuit stage. If you have a summons in front of you, start by checking the response deadline and court path, then use the guide to understand common proof issues and next steps.
Quick answer
Search by state or plaintiff when you want detail, but the first practical step is still the free deadline and case-fit check.
Featured guides
If you were sued by LVNV Funding, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, use the state guide that matches your summons. Each path starts with a free deadline check before any paid Answer Packet decision.
If your Wisconsin summons names LVNV, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, start with the matching guide below.
Wisconsin debt lawsuits can involve a short Answer window, return-date confusion, and proof issues under state consumer law. Check your deadline and court path before deciding what to file.
If your Georgia papers name LVNV, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, use the plaintiff guide that matches your summons.
Georgia users should confirm the court tier, service date, plaintiff, and response deadline before paying for any document tool.
If your Texas debt-claim case names LVNV, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, start with the guide for that plaintiff.
Texas Justice Court debt-claim cases can move quickly. Review the response deadline, the plaintiff’s debt-claim disclosures, and what the collector says it owns.
If your Florida case names LVNV, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, start by matching the plaintiff and checking the court path.
Florida debt cases may involve civil, county, or small-claims procedures. Confirm the summons details and any pretrial conference information before preparing documents.
If your Ohio lawsuit names LVNV, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, choose that plaintiff guide and confirm the court listed on your summons.
Ohio users should check the response window, court type, amount claimed, and whether the plaintiff’s paperwork supports ownership of the account.
If your Michigan papers name LVNV, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, start with the matching plaintiff guide.
Michigan users should identify the court path, deadline, account stated language, and proof documents before deciding whether Answered can prepare a packet.
If your Pennsylvania lawsuit names LVNV, Midland, or Portfolio Recovery, start with the plaintiff guide and confirm the court track.
Pennsylvania deadlines and next steps depend heavily on whether the case is in Common Pleas, MDJ, or Municipal Court. Confirm the court track before relying on a document workflow.
Start here
Plaintiff guides explain who sued you and what they may need to prove. The process map shows where you are: served papers, Answer, after-answer tracking, court, proof, or default prevention.
Before court papers
Use Pre-Suit Defense for collector letters before a lawsuit starts.
Debt lawsuit process
A lifecycle map from served papers to court and proof issues.
Served papers
Read the summons, complaint, deadline, and hearing notice.
After the Answer
Track docket updates, discovery, motions, and settlement letters.
Proof in court
Check ownership, records, amount, timeliness, and admissible proof.
Deadline hub
If you are deciding which plaintiff guide applies, first confirm the state, court track, response deadline, and whether the account may be time-barred. The deadline table is built for that first pass and links back into each state guide.
Browse by plaintiff
Start here when the lawsuit names a company like LVNV, Midland, Portfolio Recovery, Wells Fargo, Chase, Synchrony, Capital One, or TD Bank.
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Browse by state
Use this view when you know the court state first and want to compare the most common plaintiffs suing consumers there.
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Browse by plaintiff type
Debt-buyer cases usually turn on ownership, chain of title, and assignment documents. Original-creditor cases usually focus on account records, amount calculation, service, limitations, and arbitration.
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No account, no card — start with a tool, or go deep on how debt buyers prove (or fail to prove) a case.
FAQ
How do I respond to a debt lawsuit? Find the response deadline on your summons, then file a written Answer with the court that responds to each numbered allegation and raises any defenses that apply. File and serve it before the deadline to avoid a default judgment.
How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit? It depends on your state and court track — many states allow between 14 and 35 days from the date of service, and some courts set a specific hearing or return date instead. Your summons and local court rules control the exact deadline.
What happens if I do not respond? The plaintiff can request a default judgment — a ruling against you without the case being decided on the merits — which can lead to wage garnishment or bank levies in many states.
Do I need a lawyer to answer a debt lawsuit? You are not required to have a lawyer to file an Answer; many people respond on their own. Answered is self-help software that helps you check your deadline and prepare a self-help Answer if your case fits — it is not a law firm. If you can afford a lawyer, hire one.
Enter the case basics from your summons and complaint. The Full Defense Packet is the one paid unlock: Unlock the core response workflow when a saved consumer debt case passes the 32-state readiness gate. Includes a file-ready self-help Answer Packet, filing checklist, service checklist, download access, and plain next steps. Everything for one supported case in one unlock: the court-ready self-help Answer, your case's proof-issue report in full, filing checklist, service checklist, deadline reminders, document organizer, next-step and hearing-prep tools, email support, and case-scoped self-help information using your saved facts, citations, and approved Answered templates; chat does not tell you what to file or predict outcomes.
Check your deadline free