What is the primary purpose of an acknowledgment of service?

• A. To avoid default judgment for a missed deadline
• B. To grant an extension automatically to 60 days
• C. To admit the claim
• D. To transfer the case to a higher court

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that an acknowledgment of service is a procedural step taken after the claim form is served to register that the defendant intends to defend and to buy time to respond. Its primary purpose is to prevent a default judgment by missed deadlines. When someone files this acknowledgment, the deadline to file a defence is extended, typically from 14 days to 28 days from service, giving more time to prepare a response. It doesn’t admit the claim, it doesn’t automatically grant a long extension like 60 days, and it doesn’t move the case to a higher court.