Q: Ordered to court to answer interrogatories for a small claim... what if I choose to ignore?
State of Indiana. I’ve received subpoenaed/ summons for this small claims a few different times but have been ignoring it as for I do not have the money to pay at this time. This last time though, I got a summons with an actual court date saying I am ordered to appear in court and answer interrogatories. My question is, can I just continue to ignore it like I have been the last 2 years or can they issue a warrant if I fail to appear? My plan is to eventually just file bankruptcy.
A:
An Indiana attorney should advise you, as your question could involve state-specific civil procedure practices. However, your question remains open for two weeks, and as a GENERAL matter, it would not be good to ignore those things. As a GENERAL matter nationwide, ignoring summons & complaint could result in a default judgment against you (essentially being treated as a no-show). Ignoring discovery requests could lead to sanctions, depending on state civil procedure codes. If you reached out to an attorney, maybe you could discuss options - requesting extension to answer or other possibilities. Good luck
Tim Akpinar
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