Which document is used to notify the defendant of the lawsuit and begin the action?

• A. Caption
• B. Index Number
• C. Summons and Complaint
• D. Docket

Answer: (C)

The summons and complaint are the documents that notify the defendant of the lawsuit and begin the action. The summons serves as official notice that a case has been filed against the defendant and directs them to respond within a specified period, while the complaint lays out the factual allegations and legal claims being brought. Together, they initiate the civil action because the filing of the complaint and the issuance (and subsequent service) of the summons formally start the case and require the defendant to respond. The caption merely identifies the parties and court on the documents, the index number is the assigned case number, and the docket is the ongoing record of filings and events—none of these by itself starts the suit or provides notice in the way the summons and complaint do.