Washington Summons In A Civil Action is a legal document issued by the court to notify a defendant that they are being sued in a civil case. This document is usually issued by the clerk of court and is served to the defendant by a court officer, sheriff, or process server. It informs the defendant of the case number, the judge assigned to the case, the plaintiff's name and address, and the dates of the trial. Depending on the nature of the civil action, the summons may also require the defendant to file a response to the complaint, or appear in court on a certain date. There are three types of Washington Summons In A Civil Action: Summons to Answer, Summons to Appear, and Summons to File a Response. A Summons to Answer requires the defendant to respond to the complaint within a specified period of time, usually 20 days. A Summons to Appear requires the defendant to appear in court on the date listed in the summons. A Summons to File a Response requires the defendant to file a written response to the complaint within a specified period of time.