Notice of Unlawful Detainer Filing Notice of Unlawful Detainer Filing

(Sent to the tenant by mail from the court)

If you receive a Notice of Unlawful Detainer Filing from the court … beware!!!! Your landlord is
evicting you.

The notice is not worded well and it leaves tenants with the impression that they have 5 days to file
a response. The 5 days begins to tick when the actual Summons and Complaint for Unlawful
Detainer is served on you.

Unfortunately, many landlords will file the Summons and Complaint and not serve it. They will tell
the court that it was served and then request a default judgment against the tenant. The tenant automatically looses the case and the Sheriff posts a 5 day notice to vacate on the door. On day
6 (sometimes a few days later) the Sheriff locks you out.

The Law Office of Elena I. Popp advises tenants to wait no more than 4 days after the Notice of Unlawful Detainer Filing arrives in the mail and, if you have not been served with the Summons and Complaint, go to the court that sent you the notice with a copy of the notice, get a copy of the Summons and Complaint and move forward with an answer.

Seek assistance from the private attorneys and agencies listed on our RESOURCES page until one
of them agrees to go to court with you. This is the path of least resistance and unfortunately, delay
and forcing a landlord to take the right steps does not help the tenant.