Sued in Arizona? You may have only 20 days to answer
Served in Arizona: 20 days. Served outside Arizona: 30 days.
Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026. · Free letters and forms ↓
Count your answer deadline in Arizona
Pick your court and the day you were served (got the court papers). We show the last day to answer and what to do next.
Arizona guides by topic
How to answer in Arizona
Your deadline by court, the official form, fees and defenses.
Default judgment in Arizona
What a default means and how to set it aside, with a calculator.
After a judgment in Arizona
Wage garnishment, bank levies and how to claim an exemption.
Which court hears debt cases in Arizona
Justice Court (civil division)
Most credit card, medical and debt-buyer lawsuits of $10,000 or less (not counting interest, costs and attorney fees) are filed here. Justice courts have exclusive jurisdiction over civil cases of this size.
Law: A.R.S. § 22-201
Justice Court, Small Claims Division
Claims of $5,000 or less can be filed in small claims, where lawyers usually cannot appear. Collectors more often use the regular civil division.
Law: A.R.S. § 22-503(A)
Superior Court
Hears debt cases over $10,000.
Law: A.R.S. § 22-201
How to answer in Arizona
- How to answer
File a written Answer with the justice court named on the summons and pay the answer fee (or ask for a fee waiver or deferral). Your answer must state your defenses. You must also send a copy to the plaintiff or its lawyer. You can use the court's answer form or plain paper with the court name, case number and party names. Within 40 days after the answer is filed, both sides must exchange disclosure statements.
- Official answer form
- Civil Answer (Maricopa County Justice Courts form CV 8150-102); other counties have their own answer forms
- Fee to answer
$75 to file an Answer to a Civil Complaint in Maricopa County Justice Courts. Fees can differ in other courts.
- If you can't pay the fees
Application for Deferral or Waiver of Court Fees and Costs (Form No. AOCDFGF1F). You must still file your answer on time.
- How you must be served
The plaintiff must have the summons and complaint formally delivered to you, usually by a private process server. The case is dismissed if you are not served within 90 days after it was filed.
Law: Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure; Maricopa County Justice Courts, Civil Suits (Serving the Complaint)
Law: Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure (JCRCP) Rule 112 (summons); Maricopa County Justice Courts civil summons and answer instructions
Defenses to know in Arizona
- Defenses in Arizona law
Every lawsuit must be brought in the name of the real party in interest, so a debt buyer must sue in its own name. Arizona's time limit to sue is 6 years for a written contract or credit card and 3 years for an open account or a debt not based on a written contract. Interest on medical debt, and on medical debt judgments, is capped at 3% a year or the 1-year Treasury rate, whichever is lower.
Law: JCRCP Rule 104(c); A.R.S. § 12-548; A.R.S. § 12-543; A.R.S. § 44-1201(A)(1)
- Time limit to sue (written contract)
- 6 years · More on old debts at Debt Collector Map
If you missed the deadline in Arizona
A default judgment means the court decides against you because you didn't answer. You may be able to ask the court to set it aside (cancel it), but time limits are short.
- What happens
If you do not file a written answer in time, the plaintiff can file an Application for Entry of Default and mail you a copy. If you file your answer within 10 court days after that application was filed, the default does not take effect and no default judgment is entered. After those 10 court days, the plaintiff can ask for a default judgment. If you miss a trial or hearing, the court can also enter judgment against you.
- How to set it aside (cancel it)
File a Motion to Set Aside/Vacate Judgment under JCRCP Rule 141. Explain why you did not answer or appear and what your defense is. If this is your first filing in the case, you also pay the answer fee. The other side has 10 court days to respond. If the 14-day appeal time has passed, the motion must be formally served like a summons. Act as fast as you can.
Law: Superior Court: Ariz. R. Civ. P. 60
Law: JCRCP Rule 141; Maricopa County Justice Courts, How to file a Civil Answer (default procedure) and Motion to Set Aside/Vacate Judgment instructions
Count your deadline to set aside a default
If there is a judgment in Arizona
A judgment is the court's decision that you owe money. Then the creditor can ask the court to take money from your pay or bank account.
- Interest after the judgment
If the contract sets an interest rate, the judgment carries that rate. If not, the rate is the lower of 10% a year or the prime rate plus 1%, fixed on the day of judgment. Medical debt judgments: no more than 3% a year or the 1-year Treasury rate, whichever is lower.
- How long it lasts
10 years. The creditor can renew it for another 10 years by filing a renewal affidavit within the 90 days before it expires, or by suing on the judgment.
Law: A.R.S. § 44-1201(A)-(B); § 12-1551; § 12-1612
Garnishment, bank levy and exemptions in Arizona
Exempt means protected by law: money or property the creditor can't take. Often you must claim it yourself, fast.
- Wage garnishment (taking part of your pay)
No more than 10% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 60 times the highest applicable minimum hourly wage per week, whichever is less. If you prove extreme financial hardship, a judge can lower it to as little as 5%.
Law: A.R.S. § 33-1131(B); A.R.S. § 12-1598.10
- Bank levy (freezing and taking money in your bank account)
The creditor gets a writ of garnishment served on your bank. The bank must give you a copy of the writ, the judgment and a notice with a Request for Hearing form within 3 business days. $5,000 in one account at one bank is protected, adjusted for inflation each January 1 since 2024.
Law: A.R.S. § 33-1126(A)(9)
- How to claim an exemption
Fill out the Request for Hearing form that comes with the garnishment papers and file it with the court no later than 10 days after you receive the garnishee's answer (for wages, the answer or the nonexempt earnings statement). Give a copy to all parties. For a bank account, the hearing must start within 5 business days of your request. For wages, it must start within 10 days after the court gets your request.
Law: A.R.S. § 12-1574(D); § 12-1580 (bank and other non-earnings); § 12-1598.07 (earnings)
These garnishment limits are from our sister site, which checks them against official sources: Debt Collector Map: Arizona
Count your deadline to claim an exemption
Free help in Arizona
- AZLawHelp.org (free legal aid directory)
- Arizona Attorney General – Consumer Complaints · (602) 542-5763
- Find free legal help at LawHelp.org
Court self-help
Free letters and forms
Ask the plaintiff's lawyer for the debt documents
The contract, the chain of ownership and an itemization of what they claim.
Help filling in Arizona's official answer form
Link to the official form and what to write on it.
Exemption claim cover letter
A letter to the court clerk to file with your exemption claim form.
Good to know in Arizona
- Arizona caps wage garnishment for ordinary debts at 10% of disposable earnings, and a judge can cut it to 5% for extreme hardship (A.R.S. §§ 33-1131(B), 12-1598.10).
- The judgment must state its interest rate, and that rate does not change after the judgment is entered (A.R.S. § 44-1201(B)).
- Maricopa County Justice Courts offer answer and set-aside forms in English and Spanish.
Changes in 2024–2026
The small claims limit rose to $5,000 in 2025. Since January 1, 2024, the homestead, vehicle and bank-account exemptions set by Proposition 209 (2022) are adjusted for inflation every year.
Law: A.R.S. § 22-503, Laws 2025, Ch. 94
Federal rules in every state
- Where a collector must sue. A debt collector that sues you over a consumer debt must file where you signed the contract or where you live when the suit starts. Law: 15 U.S.C. 1692i(a)(2)
- Old debts. A debt collector must not sue you, or threaten to sue you, on a debt that is too old to sue on. Law: 12 CFR 1006.26(b)
- Before a default judgment. Before the court gives the plaintiff a default judgment, the plaintiff must file a sworn statement saying whether you are in military service. Law: 50 U.S.C. 3931(b)(1)
- Your pay. For an ordinary debt, a creditor can take at most 25% of your take-home pay, or the part above 30 times the federal minimum wage if that is less. Many states protect more. Law: 15 U.S.C. 1673(a)
- Federal benefits in the bank. Your bank must protect up to two months of Social Security, SSI, VA and some other federal benefits that were paid into your account by direct deposit. You don't have to ask. Law: 31 CFR 212.5, 212.6
Questions about debt lawsuits in Arizona
How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in Arizona?
20 calendar days after you are served in Arizona; 30 days if you were served outside Arizona. Do not count the day you were served. If the last day is a weekend or holiday, you have until the next business day.
How do I answer a debt lawsuit in Arizona?
File a written Answer with the justice court named on the summons and pay the answer fee (or ask for a fee waiver or deferral). Your answer must state your defenses. You must also send a copy to the plaintiff or its lawyer. You can use the court's answer form or plain paper with the court name, case number and party names. Within 40 days after the answer is filed, both sides must exchange disclosure statements.
Is there an official answer form in Arizona?
Civil Answer (Maricopa County Justice Courts form CV 8150-102); other counties have their own answer forms: https://justicecourts.maricopa.gov/media/lndo3rn0/cv-answer-8150-102.pdf
Does it cost money to answer in Arizona?
$75 to file an Answer to a Civil Complaint in Maricopa County Justice Courts. Fees can differ in other courts.
What if I can't afford the court fees in Arizona?
Application for Deferral or Waiver of Court Fees and Costs (Form No. AOCDFGF1F). You must still file your answer on time.
What happens if I don't answer in Arizona?
If you do not file a written answer in time, the plaintiff can file an Application for Entry of Default and mail you a copy. If you file your answer within 10 court days after that application was filed, the default does not take effect and no default judgment is entered. After those 10 court days, the plaintiff can ask for a default judgment. If you miss a trial or hearing, the court can also enter judgment against you.
Can I cancel a default judgment in Arizona?
File a Motion to Set Aside/Vacate Judgment under JCRCP Rule 141. Explain why you did not answer or appear and what your defense is. If this is your first filing in the case, you also pay the answer fee. The other side has 10 court days to respond. If the 14-day appeal time has passed, the motion must be formally served like a summons. Act as fast as you can.
How much interest does a judgment add in Arizona?
If the contract sets an interest rate, the judgment carries that rate. If not, the rate is the lower of 10% a year or the prime rate plus 1%, fixed on the day of judgment. Medical debt judgments: no more than 3% a year or the 1-year Treasury rate, whichever is lower.
How long does a judgment last in Arizona?
10 years. The creditor can renew it for another 10 years by filing a renewal affidavit within the 90 days before it expires, or by suing on the judgment.
Can my wages be garnished in Arizona?
No more than 10% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 60 times the highest applicable minimum hourly wage per week, whichever is less. If you prove extreme financial hardship, a judge can lower it to as little as 5%.
Can a creditor take money from my bank account in Arizona?
The creditor gets a writ of garnishment served on your bank. The bank must give you a copy of the writ, the judgment and a notice with a Request for Hearing form within 3 business days. $5,000 in one account at one bank is protected, adjusted for inflation each January 1 since 2024.
How do I claim an exemption in Arizona?
Fill out the Request for Hearing form that comes with the garnishment papers and file it with the court no later than 10 days after you receive the garnishee's answer (for wages, the answer or the nonexempt earnings statement). Give a copy to all parties. For a bank account, the hearing must start within 5 business days of your request. For wages, it must start within 10 days after the court gets your request.
More help on our sister sites
Sources
- A.R.S. § 22-201 Justice court civil jurisdiction
- A.R.S. § 22-503 Small claims jurisdiction
- A.R.S. § 44-1201 Interest; judgments; medical debt
- A.R.S. § 12-1551 Judgments: 10 years; renewal
- A.R.S. § 12-1612 Renewal affidavit
- A.R.S. § 12-1574 Garnishment notice to debtor
- A.R.S. § 12-1580 Objection and hearing (non-earnings)
- A.R.S. § 12-1598.07 Objection and hearing (earnings)
- Maricopa County Justice Courts – Civil Suits (limits, service, fees)
- Maricopa County Justice Courts – Civil Summons (JCRCP 112)
- Maricopa County Justice Courts – How to file a Civil Answer
- Maricopa County Justice Courts – Motion to Set Aside/Vacate Judgment (JCRCP 141)
- Maricopa County Justice Courts – Garnishment instructions (earnings)
- Arizona Judicial Branch – Fee Waivers and Deferrals
- Pima County Justice Courts – Civil (answer deadline)
- A.R.S. § 33-1131 (wage garnishment limit)
Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.
- Venue for debt collection suits, 15 U.S.C. 1692i
- Time-barred debts, 12 CFR 1006.26 (Regulation F)
- Default judgments and servicemembers, 50 U.S.C. 3931
- Restrictions on garnishment, 15 U.S.C. 1673
- Federal benefit payments in bank accounts, 31 CFR part 212
- CFPB: What should I do if I'm sued by a debt collector or creditor?