Pick your state to see whether you must file a written answer, how long you have to bring a counterclaim, and what happens if you do nothing. Every rule comes with its citation and a link to the official text.
Answer a few questions about the claim and your side. You get a written answer (where your state requires one) or a defense statement to bring to the hearing, a counterclaim check with your state’s deadline, and a script for the judge, for $19.
Prepare My DefenseVerified rules are on file for 44 of 51 jurisdictions so far (Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming). For the rest this page tells you to check your summons and ask the clerk rather than guess.