Third-Party Summons

THIRD-PARTY SUMMONS. This form is issued by the Massachusetts Superior Court notifies a third-party defendant that they are being sued by the defendant, now acting as a third-party plaintiff, in an ongoing lawsuit. This summons is used when the defendant believes another party is responsible for some or all of the claims made by the original plaintiff. The document provides the third-party defendant with official notice of the lawsuit and informs them that they must respond in writing within 20 days to avoid default judgment, which could result in the court ruling against them. The response can be in the form of an Answer, where the third-party defendant admits or denies the allegations, or a Motion to Dismiss, if they believe the complaint is legally invalid. If the third-party defendant has counterclaims against the third-party plaintiff, they must include them in their response or risk losing the right to bring those claims later. Additionally, they may choose to respond to the original plaintiff’s complaint, though it is not required. The summons also outlines the proper procedure for filing responses, including submitting documents to the court and serving copies to the involved parties. If the third-party defendant wants a jury trial, they must request it within 10 days of filing their Answer. The form includes a Proof of Service section, which records when and how the third-party defendant was served with the summons and complaints. www.FormsWorkflow.com