Answer the Complaint

How It Works

From summons to court-ready Answer in one guided session. Here's every step of the process — and what happens after you download.

Creating Your Answer

Eight guided steps — most people finish in under 30 minutes

1

Select Your Case Type

Tell us what kind of complaint was filed against you — debt collection, landlord/tenant, breach of contract, personal injury, or another civil matter. This determines which defenses and legal language apply to your case.

What you'll need: your summons and complaint documents
2

Choose Your Jurisdiction

Select your state and county. We apply your state's specific filing requirements, deadlines, and document formatting rules — all 50 states plus DC are covered. Enter your service date and we calculate your exact filing deadline.

What you'll need: the date you were served
3

Enter Party Details

Enter the plaintiff's name, your name as the defendant, the court name, and the case number — exactly as they appear on your summons. These populate the court caption at the top of your Answer.

Tip: copy the caption exactly — misspellings can cause rejection
4

Upload Your Complaint — or Enter It Manually

Upload the complaint as a PDF or photo and our OCR technology automatically extracts every numbered paragraph — no retyping. Prefer to do it by hand? Just enter the paragraph count and respond from your paper copy.

Supported: PDF, JPG, PNG scans of your complaint
5

Respond to Each Allegation

For every numbered paragraph, choose one of three responses: Admit (it's true), Deny (it's not true), or Lacks Knowledge (you can't confirm it — legally treated as a denial). Not sure? Our AI assistant explains each option as you go.

Rule of thumb: deny anything that isn't completely accurate
6

Add Defenses & Counterclaims

Strengthen your Answer with any of our 15 pre-written affirmative defenses — like statute of limitations or payment. You can also sue the plaintiff back with one of 8 pre-built counterclaims, or write your own.

All defenses include proper legal citations, ready to file
7

Preview Your Document

Review your complete Answer before paying: court caption, numbered responses to every allegation, affirmative defenses, counterclaims, prayer for relief, and certificate of service — formatted to your state's court requirements.

Times New Roman 12pt, court-standard layout
8

Pay & Download

Check out securely via Stripe — one flat $49.95, no subscription — and instantly download your Answer as an editable Word document (.docx), ready to print, sign, and file.

One-time charge. No recurring fees.

After You Download: Filing Your Answer

Your document is ready — here's how to get it to the court

STEP 1

Print & Sign

  • Print 3 copies of your Answer
  • Use quality white paper, single-sided
  • Sign each copy in ink
STEP 2

File With the Court

  • Visit the court clerk's office
  • Bring the filing fee (varies by court)
  • Get a filed-stamp on your copies
STEP 3

Serve the Plaintiff

  • Mail a copy to the plaintiff's attorney
  • Use certified mail
  • Keep the receipt as proof
STEP 4

Keep Records

  • Keep a filed-stamped copy for yourself
  • Save your certified-mail receipt
  • Watch the mail for court notices
Watch your deadline. Most states allow 20–30 days from the date you were served. File before it expires — a missed deadline can mean an automatic judgment against you.

What's In Your Answer Document

A complete, court-ready legal filing — not just a template

Court Caption

Properly formatted heading with court name, parties, and case number — exactly as your court requires.

Numbered Responses

A response to every paragraph of the complaint — admitted, denied, or lacking knowledge.

Affirmative Defenses

Your selected defenses with proper legal citations, plus a reservation of additional defenses.

Counterclaims

Any counterclaims you selected, formatted with their statutory basis and damages requested.

Prayer for Relief

The formal request asking the court to dismiss the complaint and award you costs.

Certificate of Service

The sworn statement documenting when and how you served the plaintiff with your Answer.

Ready to Start?

Your court-ready Answer, start to finish, in one sitting. Just $49.95.

Start Your Answer — $49.95