Legal Definitions - answer day

Definition: The last day for a defendant to file and serve a responsive pleading in a lawsuit.

Example: Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a defendant generally must serve an answer within 20 days after being served with the summons and complaint, or if a defendant timely waives service at the plaintiff's request, within 60 days after the request for waiver was sent.

Explanation: Answer day is the deadline for a defendant to respond to a lawsuit. If the defendant fails to file an answer by the deadline, the plaintiff may be able to obtain a default judgment. The example illustrates the time frame for a defendant to serve an answer in a civil lawsuit under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.