How to answer a debt lawsuit in New Jersey

Deadlines by court, filing, fees and defenses, with a calculator.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026.

Short answer

Special Civil Part: 35 days. File the answer with the Office of the Special Civil Part in the county where the case was filed: online through JEDS (Judiciary Electronic Document Submission), by mail or in person.

Time to answer
35 days
Official answer form
No official form found
Fee to answer
$30 for an answer. $50 for an answer with a counterclaim of $5,000 or less; $75 if the counterclaim is more than $5,000.

Some of New Jersey's rules rest on limited sources. Check the official sources below, or ask the court clerk or a legal aid office, before you rely on them.

Your deadline to answer in New Jersey

  • Special Civil Part: 35 days.

Special Civil Part: file a written answer within 35 days after the complaint was served on you. Check the number of days on your summons.

Law: NJ Judiciary, Special Civil: A Guide to the Court (CN 10281, May 2025)

In nearby states

Your last day to answer

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.

Filing an answer in New Jersey

File the answer with the Office of the Special Civil Part in the county where the case was filed: online through JEDS (Judiciary Electronic Document Submission), by mail or in person. Also hand-deliver a copy to the plaintiff, or send it by regular and certified mail (or by regular mail to the plaintiff's lawyer). Include the docket number, your name, address and phone, and the reasons you dispute the claim. A trial date is set only if you answer.

What can defeat the claim in New Jersey

Most contract and account debts have a 6-year limit. For a default judgment, the plaintiff must submit an affidavit and documents verifying the amount, and any pre-judgment interest must be backed by a document showing the interest rate (NJ Judiciary default judgment packet).

Law: N.J.S.A. 2A:14-1

New Jersey allows 6 years to sue on a written contract. If the debt is older, say so in your answer: the court usually won't raise it for you.

Debt buyer lawsuits in New Jersey: the full rules

Court fees in New Jersey

Fee to answer

$30 for an answer. $50 for an answer with a counterclaim of $5,000 or less; $75 if the counterclaim is more than $5,000.

If you can't pay the fees

You can apply to the court to be found indigent; the judge can waive the fees.

How you must be served in New Jersey

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

The Special Civil Part office serves the complaint, by certified and regular mail or in person by a Special Civil Part Officer; the plaintiff pays the service fee.

Law: NJ Judiciary, Special Civil: A Guide to the Court (CN 10281, May 2025)

Mediation and settlement in New Jersey

On the trial date, the Special Civil Part may help you settle through mediation with a trained mediator or a settlement conference with a neutral person.

Steps to answer in New Jersey

  1. Look at the summons

    The summons names the court, the case number and the lawyer suing you. Keep it safe.

  2. Count the days

    In New Jersey: Special Civil Part: 35 days.

  3. File a written answer

    Give it to the clerk, mail a copy to the plaintiff's lawyer and keep one for yourself.

  4. Ask for the documents

    A documents request letter asks for the contract and proof of ownership.

  5. Ask for free help

    Legal aid can help for free: Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) Legal Hotline.

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)

Free help in New Jersey

Questions about answering in New Jersey

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in New Jersey?

Special Civil Part: file a written answer within 35 days after the complaint was served on you. Check the number of days on your summons.

How do I answer a debt lawsuit in New Jersey?

File the answer with the Office of the Special Civil Part in the county where the case was filed: online through JEDS (Judiciary Electronic Document Submission), by mail or in person. Also hand-deliver a copy to the plaintiff, or send it by regular and certified mail (or by regular mail to the plaintiff's lawyer). Include the docket number, your name, address and phone, and the reasons you dispute the claim. A trial date is set only if you answer.

Does it cost money to answer in New Jersey?

$30 for an answer. $50 for an answer with a counterclaim of $5,000 or less; $75 if the counterclaim is more than $5,000.

Can New Jersey courts waive my fees?

You can apply to the court to be found indigent; the judge can waive the fees.

More for New Jersey

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources
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