Filing & Pleadings
Answering a Complaint
How to respond when you've been sued — and the deadline that controls everything.
Local rules vary: The time to answer and the required answer form vary by court. Confirm your exact deadline the day you're served.
The deadline is everything
When you're served with a complaint, you have a limited time to respond — often 20 to 30 days. If you miss it, the other side can ask for a default judgment, meaning they win automatically.
Read the complaint carefully
Go paragraph by paragraph. For each numbered statement, your answer will say one of:
- Admit — you agree it's true.
- Deny — you say it's not true.
- Lack knowledge — you don't know enough to admit or deny (treated as a denial).
Raise your defenses
An affirmative defense is a reason you shouldn't lose even if the facts are true — for example, the statute of limitations expired, you were acting in self-defense, or the other side caused the harm. You must raise defenses in your answer or you may lose them.
Consider a counterclaim
If you have your own claim against the person suing you, you may file a counterclaim in the same case.
File and serve
Once you finish your answer, file it with the court and serve a copy on the other side — just like they served you.