Within what time must the defendant serve an answer after service of the summons and complaint?

Within what time must the defendant serve an answer after service of the summons and complaint?

• A. 30 days
• B. 60 days
• C. 15 days
• D. 45 days

Answer: (A)

In North Carolina, after the summons and complaint are properly served, the defendant has 30 days to file and serve an answer. This 30-day deadline comes from Rule 12(a) of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure and starts with service of process. If the defendant fails to respond in time, the plaintiff can seek default judgment. There are occasional exceptions, such as when service is outside North Carolina, where the response period can be longer (typically 60 days).

In North Carolina, after the summons and complaint are properly served, the defendant has 30 days to file and serve an answer. This 30-day deadline comes from Rule 12(a) of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure and starts with service of process. If the defendant fails to respond in time, the plaintiff can seek default judgment. There are occasional exceptions, such as when service is outside North Carolina, where the response period can be longer (typically 60 days).