Jackson County district court judge Charles McKenzie has given Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's company until Oct. 1 to respond to a lawsuit filed against it by Bank of America which seeks repayment of a loan for the firm's Grandview car wash.

In an order entered last week the judge gave the company's lawyers an extension of time to file their response on Cleaver's behalf.

The bank sued Cleaver Co. LLC in March, seeking a court-appointed receiver for the firm's car wash in Grandview. The bank also seeks repayment of more than $1.5 million in penalties, interest, and principal owed on the loan.

The judge has already denied the request for a receiver.

Roughly 75% of the loan is guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.