Legal Definitions - notice to plead

A notice to plead is a warning given to a defendant in a legal case. It informs the defendant that they must file a responsive pleading within a certain amount of time or else they will face a default judgment.

For example, if a plaintiff files a lawsuit against a defendant, the defendant will receive a notice to plead. This notice will state that they must file a response to the lawsuit within a certain number of days. If they fail to do so, the court may enter a default judgment against them.

The purpose of a notice to plead is to ensure that both parties have a fair chance to present their case in court. If a defendant fails to respond to a lawsuit, it would be unfair to the plaintiff to allow the case to continue without the defendant's input.