Time To Plead

Commencing on the return day of the writ, sum- mons and complaint in civil actions, pleadings, including motions and requests addressed to the pleadings, shall advance within thirty days from the return day, and any subsequent pleadings, motions and requests shall advance at least one step within each successive period of thirty days from the preceding pleading or the filing of the decision of the judicial authority thereon if one is required, except that in summary process actions the time period shall be three days and in actions to foreclose a mortgage on real estate the time period shall be fifteen days. The filing of interroga- tories or requests for discovery shall not suspend the time requirements of this section unless upon motion of either party the judicial authority shall find that there is good cause to suspend such time requirements. (P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 114.) (Amended June 14, 2013, to take effect Jan. 1, 2014.)