How to Answer a Summons for Debt Collection in Kentucky (2020 Guide)
Receiving a Kentucky Civil Summons for a debt is a bummer, but you're absolutely not alone. According to the Urban Institute, 37 percent of Kentuckians have debt in collections, which is well above the national average of 31 percent.
If you feel like chucking your Kentucky summons in the trash, hold up a minute. The best way to give yourself a fighting chance in court isn't to ignore your summons, but to take action and respond. Even though you have debt, you still have rights under Kentucky debt collection laws, and you could see many positive outcomes in court, including not having to pay your debt at all.
Kentucky Deadline for Answering a Debt Collection Summons
For starters, if you aren't sure whether you've received a Kentucky summons, here's what it could look like.
In the state of Kentucky, you have 20 days after receiving a Summons and Complaint to file an Answer under Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure 12.01.
We can't stress enough how important it is to meet this deadline. If you miss it, you will automatically lose your case. This is because, after 20 days, the plaintiff (the person suing you) can file for a default judgment against you, and the judgment will automatically be in favor of the plaintiff.
Even if there is an error in your debt collection Summons and Complaint, don't ignore it: regardless of why you failed to meet the deadline, you'll have to pay the debt stated in the Complaint if you don't file an Answer.
If you respond within the 20-day deadline, you could win your case.
Kentucky Answer to Summons Forms
The fastest way to create an Answer to a Summons and Complaint is to use SoloSuit. You follow a few simple steps and have a completed Answer in under 15 minutes.
If you'd rather create an Answer on your own, here is a general Kentucky Answer form you can use to respond.
Answer Filing Fees for Kentucky
Woo-hoo! In the state of Kentucky, there is no fee for filing your Answer.
