Residential eviction laws require a landlord to provide a tenant with an official eviction notice, also called a letter of eviction, before taking court action. If the tenant is under a lease, the letter of eviction must outline the reason for the eviction; a landlord may legally evict a tenant with a lease for nonpayment of rent or other lease violations, such as violating a ﾓno petsﾔ policy or engaging in criminal activity on the premises. The eviction notice will usually be either a three day or five day notice, giving the tenant time to correct the lease violation or pay rent to avoid eviction. If the specified amount of time passes and the matter is not settled, a landlord may then decide to take further action to begin a legal residential eviction. An eviction complaint is filed with the court and a date is set for a hearing. Residential eviction laws allow a tenant to file an answer to the eviction complaint and defend themselves in court.