Can you go to jail if you do not respond to the court summons for a lawsuit for credit card debt?

No. A civil summons for a credit lawsuit is not a direct order of the court. If the debtor does not appear at the hearing a default judgment is entered in favor of the creditor. The creditor can then execute the judgment in whatever manner is allowed by the laws of the debtor's state. It's very important to respond to the summons in a timely manner. The majority of debtors who find themselves in a credit card debt lawsuit DO NOT RESPOND. You can represent yourself in the lawsuit (called Pro Se) and oftentimes if you do respond with a proper Notice of Appearance, Answer, and Certificate of Service the creditor will drop the lawsuit because they know they will have to prove their case AND in many instances these third-party debt collectors are trying to collect on out-of-statute debt or do not have sufficient evidence to back up their claims. When a third-party debt collector buys your debt for pennies on the dollar they often receive a one-page printout, no original contract, no signed statements, etc. Bottom line? File an Answer with the court and wait and see. Otherwise, you'll be facing wage garnishment and frozen assets.