Sued in New York? You have 20 days.
In New York, a defendant generally has 20 days to respond to a civil complaint under N.Y. CPLR 3012 / CPLR 320, counted from the day you were served with the summons and complaint. 20 days when the summons+complaint were personally delivered in-state; 30 days for most other service methods (substituted, out-of-state, on an official).
All guides →The governing provision is N.Y. CPLR 3012 / CPLR 320: a defendant must respond within 20 days, with the clock starting at the day you were served with the summons and complaint. 20 days when the summons+complaint were personally delivered in-state; 30 days for most other service methods (substituted, out-of-state, on an official).
Read the rule yourself — official source for N.Y. CPLR 3012 / CPLR 320 (verified 2026-07-17). The summons you were handed usually states your deadline too; if it conflicts with anything on this page, the summons and the court control.
Court Deadline Calculator
Enter the date you were served and get the computed due date with weekend and holiday rollover — the federal presets show the method; your summons and local rules set the state number.
Compute your version →Deadline windows this long are almost always calendar days — weekends and holidays count while the period runs. What moves is the LAST day: when it lands on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline generally rolls to the next court day. Some service methods (mail, publication, out-of-state) carry longer windows, and some courts within New York — small claims, magistrate, district — run different clocks entirely. The number above is the general civil rule in the state's court of general jurisdiction.
Default. The plaintiff can ask the court to take the complaint's allegations as established and enter judgment — often for everything demanded — followed by collection: garnishment, levies, liens, depending on the state. Getting a default set aside afterward is possible but uphill and expensive; asking for an extension before the deadline is routine and usually free. If you do nothing else, do not let this date pass silently.
Court Deadline Calculator
Enter the date you were served and get the computed due date with weekend and holiday rollover — the federal presets show the method; your summons and local rules set the state number.
Compute your version →- What if I was served by mail or publication in New York?
- Alternative service methods commonly carry longer response windows than personal service. Check the rule at the official source linked above, and the summons itself — it typically states the operative deadline for how you were served.
- Does filing a motion instead of an answer change the deadline?
- In most states a timely motion to dismiss (or the state's equivalent) satisfies the response deadline and pauses the answer clock until the court rules. It must be filed within the same window — a pending motion you haven't filed protects nothing.
- Can I get more time?
- Usually yes — extensions before the deadline are routinely granted by stipulation or quick motion, and some states provide automatic ones. The critical word is BEFORE; after the deadline you're asking to undo a default, which is a much harder conversation.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. It is general legal information about New York's civil response deadline, verified against the cited rule on 2026-07-17. Rules change and courts differ — verify with the court named on your summons or with counsel.
This guide is general legal information, not legal advice, and creates no attorney–client relationship. Rules and timelines vary by court and state — verify anything that matters with counsel and your court's local rules.
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