When you receive legal or court papers—known as being served, or served with process—it is important to understand the nature of the documents and your obligation to file a written response to them—usually within 20-30 days, but sometimes within a shorter period of time, depending on the type of legal relief sought by the party who filed the documents (injunctive relief, etc.).

If you do not file a written response to a lawsuit, petition, or motion asking a court (or government entity or arbitrator) to take some action against you, you will be admitting the claims or allegations against you, and the court will often give the party seeking money or other assets from you everything they are asking for—with no input from you or further opportunity for you to contest the claims. If you do not respond to such a request, you are said to be in default, and the court will enter a default judgment against you, making you legally liable for the money awarded, and obligated to comply with other changes made by the court without your input, such as changes in child custody or child support.

In Rhode Island, when an individual is served with legal or court papers, it signifies the commencement of a legal process that requires their attention. The documents could be a lawsuit, petition, or motion, and they typically require the recipient to file a written response within a specified timeframe, which is often 20-30 days but can be shorter for certain types of legal actions, such as those seeking injunctive relief. Failure to respond to these documents can result in a default judgment. This means that the court may accept the claims or allegations as true and grant the relief sought by the other party without any defense or input from the non-responding party. The consequences of a default judgment can include monetary awards to the other party and court-ordered changes in legal status or obligations, such as alterations to child custody or support. It is crucial for individuals served in Rhode Island to promptly seek advice from an attorney to understand their legal obligations and to respond appropriately to avoid default.