In a straightforward civil claim, within how many days should the defendant respond after the claim is issued?

• A. 14 days
• B. 28 days
• C. 7 days
• D. 21 days

Answer: (A)

When a civil claim is issued, the defendant has a short period to respond to keep the process moving. The standard rule is that the defendant must file a defence within 14 days of the claim form being served. This baseline keeps proceedings efficient. There are mechanisms that can extend time (for example, an Acknowledgement of Service can move the deadline in some circumstances), but for a straightforward claim the 14-day period is the rule. If no response is filed, the claimant can apply for a default judgment.