Which of the following may occur if the defendant does not respond to a complaint in a timely manner?

• A. Defendant
• B. Court clerk
• C. Attorney
• D. Witness

Answer: (C)

When a defendant misses the deadline to respond, the case often moves toward a default procedure. The person who takes the necessary legal action in this situation is the attorney, because counsel represents the party and files the motions the court needs to proceed. If the response is late, the plaintiff’s attorney can request the court to enter default and ultimately obtain a judgment without the defendant’s participation. The court clerk handles administrative duties and doesn’t initiate the default process, and a witness isn’t directly involved in this procedural step.