Sued in the District of Columbia? You may have only 21 days to answer

Small Claims: no written answer, but go to court on the date set. Civil Actions Branch: 21 days.

Count my answer deadlineHow to answerI missed it / default

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026. · Free letters and forms ↓

Count your answer deadline in the District of Columbia

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.

The date is counted in your browser.

The court's name is at the top of your summons.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

The District of Columbia guides by topic

How to answer in the District of Columbia

Your deadline by court, the official form, fees and defenses.

Default judgment in the District of Columbia

What a default means and how to set it aside, with a calculator.

After a judgment in the District of Columbia

Wage garnishment, bank levies and how to claim an exemption.

Debt buyer lawsuits in the District of Columbia

What a debt buyer must prove, and old debts as a defense.

Which court hears debt cases in the District of Columbia

D.C. Superior Court, Small Claims and Conciliation Branch

Cases up to $10,000

Most credit card, medical bill and loan collection cases of $10,000 or less are filed here. Super. Ct. Small Claims Rule 19 sets special rules for credit card, medical bill and loan collection cases.

Law: Super. Ct. Sm. Cl. R. 19; D.C. Courts, Small Claims Branch

D.C. Superior Court, Civil Actions Branch

No dollar limit stated

Hears debt cases over $10,000, and small claims cases that are moved there (for example, when someone asks for a jury trial).

Law: D.C. Courts, Small Claims Branch

How to answer in the District of Columbia

How to answer

Small Claims: appear at the hearing (it may be remote). Civil Actions Branch: file a written answer with the Clerk's Office, by eFileDC, mail or in person, and send a copy to the plaintiff.

Fee to answer

No fee to answer: the court fee schedule lists no fee for an answer. A counterclaim costs $10 in Small Claims ($20 in Civil Actions); a jury demand in Small Claims costs $75.

Law: Super. Ct. Civ. R. 202

If you can't pay the fees

Application to Waive Court Costs and Fees (D.C. Superior Court).

How you must be served

In Small Claims, the papers can be served by any adult who is not a party, or by the clerk by certified or registered mail. Service by mail counts even if you refuse it, once the clerk re-mails it and the papers in fact reach you. In consumer debt cases, the collector must check your current address first, and the proof of service must include a time-stamped photo with GPS coordinates of where you were served. The collector has 90 days to prove service in a collection case.

Law: Super. Ct. Sm. Cl. R. 4, 19(c); D.C. Code § 28-3814(p)

Law: Super. Ct. Sm. Cl. R. 5, 6; Super. Ct. Civ. R. 12(a), 202

Defenses to know in the District of Columbia

Defenses in the District of Columbia law

You can raise any violation of D.C. Code § 28-3814 as a defense. A consumer debt lawsuit filed on or after Sept. 1, 2021 must be filed within 3 years, whatever the type of claim. If the contract does not set a percentage, attorney's fees are presumed to be no more than 15% of the debt.

Law: § 28-3814(t)(2); § 28-3814(o)

Debt buyer lawsuits
D.C. has some of the strictest rules in the country. Debt buyer lawsuits in the District of Columbia: the full rules
Time limit to sue (written contract)
3 years · More on old debts at Debt Collector Map

If you missed the deadline in the District of Columbia

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 come to court and the judge finds you were properly served, the judge can enter a default judgment, or a default with a later hearing where the plaintiff proves the amount. In a consumer debt case, the judge must first check that the collector followed D.C.'s filing and proof rules.

How to set it aside (cancel it)

File a Motion to Vacate Default Judgment (Small Claims and Conciliation Branch Motion form; $10 fee unless waived). Under Civil Rule 60(c), the motion must be made within a reasonable time, and no more than 1 year after the judgment if the reason is mistake, inadvertence, surprise, excusable neglect, new evidence or fraud. A Motion for a New Trial or to Alter or Amend the Judgment must be filed no later than 28 days after the judgment.

Law: Super. Ct. Sm. Cl. R. 12(b); Super. Ct. Civ. R. 60(b)-(c), 59; D.C. Code § 28-3814(t)

Count your deadline to set aside a default

The date is counted in your browser.

The court's name is at the top of the judgment.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

Mediation and settlement in the District of Columbia

In Small Claims, when both sides are present, the case is sent to mediation with a trained court mediator (usually remote) before any trial. If you settle, the terms are filed with the court; if not, a judge sets a trial date (D.C. Superior Court Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division).

If there is a judgment in the District of Columbia

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

The contract rate if the contract sets one. Otherwise, 70% of the IRS underpayment rate, rounded to the nearest full percent; the court can lower it for good cause or if you cannot pay in good faith. The court's posted rate is 5% a year since January 1, 2025.

How long it lasts

12 years from when it could first be enforced. The creditor can extend it for another 12 years by getting an order of revival before it expires. A new law bars revival of medical debt judgments once it takes effect.

Law: D.C. Code § 28-3302(c); § 15-101; § 15-103

Garnishment, bank levy and exemptions in the District of Columbia

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)

Only 25% of the part of your weekly disposable wages above 40 times the D.C. minimum hourly wage can be taken. The creditor cannot start collecting until 10 business days after judgment.

Law: D.C. Code § 16-572

Bank levy (freezing and taking money in your bank account)

The creditor files a Writ of Attachment on Non-Wages served on a D.C. bank branch. The bank has 10 days to answer. If it is holding your money, the creditor must get a Judgment of Condemnation before the bank pays it over. Some income, such as Social Security, is protected.

How to claim an exemption

File a notice of claim of exemption, or a motion to quash the attachment, with the clerk; the court must act promptly after notice. For wages, you can also file a motion claiming undue financial hardship to exempt more of your pay; the court must hold a hearing within 30 days. No fixed filing deadline is set by statute, so act quickly.

Law: D.C. Code § 15-503(d); § 16-572.01; D.C. Superior Court Small Claims Handbook (2026)

These garnishment limits are from our sister site, which checks them against official sources: Debt Collector Map: District of Columbia

Count your deadline to claim an exemption

The date is counted in your browser.

Read the notice you got from the court, your bank or your employer.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

Free help in the District of Columbia

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.

Exemption claim cover letter

A letter to the court clerk to file with your exemption claim form.

Good to know in the District of Columbia

  • In a D.C. consumer debt case, proof of service must include a time-stamped photo with GPS coordinates (D.C. Code § 28-3814(p)).
  • The judge must review the collector's paperwork on their own before entering any judgment, even a default (D.C. Code § 28-3814(t)(1)).
  • Wages can be garnished only from D.C.-based or federal employers, and bank accounts only through a D.C. bank branch (D.C. Small Claims Handbook 2026).

Changes in 2024–2026

The Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act of 2026 (D.C. Law 26-172, effective Aug. 20, 2026) will, once it applies, cap medical debt interest at 3%, bar wage garnishment on medical debt for households under 500% of the federal poverty level, bar liens on a primary home for medical debt, and bar renewing (reviving) medical debt judgments. It applies 6 months after its cost is funded in the budget, and the D.C. Code marks it 'Not Funded' as of October 2026. The judgment interest rate dropped from 6% to 5% on January 1, 2025.

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 the District of Columbia

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in the District of Columbia?

Small Claims: in most cases you do not have to file a written answer. Go to the first court date on your notice and tell the judge why you disagree. You must file in writing only for a set-off or counterclaim, or a verified answer if you want a jury trial (on or before the first court date). Civil Actions Branch: 21 days after you are served.

How do I answer a debt lawsuit in the District of Columbia?

Small Claims: appear at the hearing (it may be remote). Civil Actions Branch: file a written answer with the Clerk's Office, by eFileDC, mail or in person, and send a copy to the plaintiff.

Does it cost money to answer in the District of Columbia?

No fee to answer: the court fee schedule lists no fee for an answer. A counterclaim costs $10 in Small Claims ($20 in Civil Actions); a jury demand in Small Claims costs $75.

What if I can't afford the court fees in the District of Columbia?

Application to Waive Court Costs and Fees (D.C. Superior Court).

What happens if I don't answer in the District of Columbia?

If you do not come to court and the judge finds you were properly served, the judge can enter a default judgment, or a default with a later hearing where the plaintiff proves the amount. In a consumer debt case, the judge must first check that the collector followed D.C.'s filing and proof rules.

Can I cancel a default judgment in the District of Columbia?

File a Motion to Vacate Default Judgment (Small Claims and Conciliation Branch Motion form; $10 fee unless waived). Under Civil Rule 60(c), the motion must be made within a reasonable time, and no more than 1 year after the judgment if the reason is mistake, inadvertence, surprise, excusable neglect, new evidence or fraud. A Motion for a New Trial or to Alter or Amend the Judgment must be filed no later than 28 days after the judgment.

How much interest does a judgment add in the District of Columbia?

The contract rate if the contract sets one. Otherwise, 70% of the IRS underpayment rate, rounded to the nearest full percent; the court can lower it for good cause or if you cannot pay in good faith. The court's posted rate is 5% a year since January 1, 2025.

How long does a judgment last in the District of Columbia?

12 years from when it could first be enforced. The creditor can extend it for another 12 years by getting an order of revival before it expires. A new law bars revival of medical debt judgments once it takes effect.

Can my wages be garnished in the District of Columbia?

Only 25% of the part of your weekly disposable wages above 40 times the D.C. minimum hourly wage can be taken. The creditor cannot start collecting until 10 business days after judgment.

Can a creditor take money from my bank account in the District of Columbia?

The creditor files a Writ of Attachment on Non-Wages served on a D.C. bank branch. The bank has 10 days to answer. If it is holding your money, the creditor must get a Judgment of Condemnation before the bank pays it over. Some income, such as Social Security, is protected.

How do I claim an exemption in the District of Columbia?

File a notice of claim of exemption, or a motion to quash the attachment, with the clerk; the court must act promptly after notice. For wages, you can also file a motion claiming undue financial hardship to exempt more of your pay; the court must hold a hearing within 30 days. No fixed filing deadline is set by statute, so act quickly.

More help on our sister sites

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources

Other states

Count my deadline