How to answer a debt lawsuit in the District of Columbia

Your deadline, the official form if there is one, fees and defenses, and the steps to file your answer.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026.

Short answer

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

Time to answer
21 days
Official answer form
No official form found
Fee to answer
No fee to answer: the court fee schedule lists no fee for an answer.

Your deadline to answer in the District of Columbia

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

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.

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

In nearby states

Count your exact deadline

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.

Service of the court papers in the District of Columbia

Service means officially getting the court papers. Your deadline usually starts that day.

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)

Defenses to know in the District of Columbia

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)

In the District of Columbia, the time limit to sue on a written contract is 3 years. A debt older than that can be a defense, but you must raise it in your answer.

Debt buyer lawsuits in the District of Columbia: the full rules

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).

Fees and fee waivers in the District of Columbia

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).

Filing an answer 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.

Steps to answer in the District of Columbia

  1. Check the court papers

    Write down the court, the case number and who is suing you.

  2. Mark your deadline

    The District of Columbia's rule: Small Claims: no written answer, but go to court on the date set; Civil Actions Branch: 21 days.

  3. Answer in writing

    The clerk takes your answer; the plaintiff's lawyer gets a copy; you keep a copy.

  4. Ask for the documents

    Send a documents request letter to the plaintiff's lawyer.

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)

Where to get free help in the District of Columbia

Questions about answering 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 file an answer 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.

What does it cost 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.

How do I ask for a fee waiver in the District of Columbia?

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

Related the District of Columbia pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources
Count my deadline