Question: Can I be listed as a defendant in a civil complaint if I never did business with the company that filed the complaint? I was recently served a civil complaint by a gas company I have never done business with. I am listed as a defendant along with my roommate. My roommate has done business with the company and account is under his name and he was supposed to pay all bills. Can I legally be listed as a defendant when I have never done any business with this company? How can I remove myself from the complaint?
Answer: First, anyone can file a lawsuit against you. Whether they can win is another matter. But you need to comply with all deadlines and defend it. Do not ignore lawsuits that are filed against you.
In this case, it is not clear that the utility cannot recover. If you owned or leased the apartment and received the benefit of the service it is not impossible that you could be liable for at least some of the charges. You need an attorney to review the facts.