Sued by a debt collector in Maryland

About 15 days: that is the usual time to answer a debt lawsuit in Maryland. Below: default, defenses, what you can lose and the steps.

Short answer

Maryland's deadline is shorter than in most states, so act fast. District Court: file the Notice of Intention to Defend within 15 days after you get the summons (60 days if you live out of state) (Md. Rule 3-307; Maryland Courts). If you do not return the Notice of Intention to Defend, the court may enter a judgment against you, often based on the collector's affidavit and documents. A debt older than Maryland's time limit for written contracts (3 years) can be a defense.

Time to answer
15 days
Time limit to sue (written contract)
3 years
Court self-help
Official page

How long you have to answer in Maryland

Time to answer
District Court: file the Notice of Intention to Defend within 15 days after you get the summons (60 days if you live out of state) (Md. Rule 3-307; Maryland Courts). District Court hears claims up to $30,000. Circuit Court summonses give their own deadline.
Court self-help
Maryland court self-help (official)

Maryland gives 15 days, shorter than most of our 48 state guides (14 to 30 days).

In nearby states

Missing the deadline in Maryland

If you do not return the Notice of Intention to Defend, the court may enter a judgment against you, often based on the collector's affidavit and documents.

What can be taken if you lose in Maryland

  • Wage limit: Stricter than federal: you keep the greater of 75% of your disposable wages or 30 times the Maryland minimum hourly wage for each week of the pay period.
  • Bank account: $500 in a bank or credit union account is protected automatically. You can also choose to protect cash or property up to a total of $6,000 (including that $500) if you elect it within 30 days of the levy.
  • Property: Maryland protects up to $1,000 of household goods, up to $5,000 of work tools, health aids, child support, and a $6,000 'wildcard' you can apply to cash or any property if you elect it within 30 days of the levy (Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 11-504(b)).

Maryland's garnishment rules

Good to know before court in Maryland

  • Maryland's general time limit for debt lawsuits is only 3 years (Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101).
  • A collector, including the original creditor, may not contact your employer about the debt before getting a final court judgment (Com. Law § 14-202(4)).
  • No one may sue you on a consumer debt after the time limit has run out, and a later payment does not restart it (Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-1202).

Old debts as a defense in Maryland

Maryland's time limit to sue is 3 years (Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 (3 years); § 5-1202 (no suit or revival after expiration)). Restarting the clock is limited in Maryland: No. After the time limit expires, a payment, a written or spoken promise, or any other activity on the debt does not revive or extend it (Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-1202(b)). Federal rules bar a collector from suing, or threatening to sue, on a time-barred debt (12 CFR 1006.26(b)).

Check Maryland's statute of limitations

Suing a collector who breaks the rules in Maryland

A collector who violates the act is liable for damages it caused, including emotional distress or mental anguish, even without physical injury (Com. Law § 14-203).

What to do if you are sued in Maryland

  1. Confirm the case with the court

    Call or search the court yourself; don't use contact details from the papers.

  2. Mark your deadline

    In Maryland: District Court: file the Notice of Intention to Defend within 15 days after you get the summons (60 days if you live out of state) (Md. Rule 3-307; Maryland Courts).

  3. File a written answer

    File the answer with the clerk and mail a copy to the collector's lawyer. Start with Maryland court self-help (official).

  4. Check every defense

    Is it yours, is the amount right, did you pay, is it older than Maryland's 3 years for written contracts?

  5. Show up in court

    Take your papers to each hearing; a dispute letter still makes the collector prove the debt.

Free help in Maryland

Questions about debt lawsuits in Maryland

What is the deadline to respond to a collection lawsuit in Maryland?

District Court: file the Notice of Intention to Defend within 15 days after you get the summons (60 days if you live out of state) (Md. Rule 3-307; Maryland Courts). District Court hears claims up to $30,000. Circuit Court summonses give their own deadline.

Can a collector win by default in Maryland?

If you do not return the Notice of Intention to Defend, the court may enter a judgment against you, often based on the collector's affidavit and documents.

Is an old debt a defense to a lawsuit in Maryland?

Maryland's time limit to sue is 3 years (Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 (3 years); § 5-1202 (no suit or revival after expiration)). Federal rules bar a collector from suing, or threatening to sue, on a time-barred debt (12 CFR 1006.26(b)).

Related Maryland pages

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources