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It includes Defendant identification fields, a general denial option, guidance on specific pleas under penalty of perjury, and affirmative defenses under Texas Rules 92–94, plus payment details, request for judgment, signature and contact information, and an unsworn perjury declaration under Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code §132.001.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/resumes/","Resumes",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/defendants-answer-texas-civil-court-form/280717/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/defendants-answer-texas-civil-court-form/280717.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"eBook King","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-14","2026-09-16",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What should a defendant do before filing the Defendant’s Answer form in Texas?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Talk to a lawyer before filling out the form. Filing can affect legal rights and may allow the case to proceed.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How long does a defendant have to file an answer after being served?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Counting from the day served, the defendant has 20 days plus the following Monday at 10 a.m. to file an answer.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What happens if the defendant does not file an answer by the deadline?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The plaintiff can ask the court to enter a default judgment against the defendant.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},280717,1791520608,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,93,98,103,108,113,118,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":91,"slug":92},12,80,"resumes",{"id":94,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":126},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":128},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":129,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":22,"category_id":90,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":140,"read_time":26},962088006270,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45","Cause Number    \n(Complete the heading so that it looks exactly like the Petition)  \nPlaintiff (Print Full Name)  \nv.  \nDefendant (Print Full Name)  \nIn the (check one) :  \n   District Court  \nCourt Number  County Court at Law  Justice Court (JP)  \n  County, Texas  \nDefendant’s Answer  \nWARNING: Talk to a lawyer before filling out this form. You may accidentally give up important legal rights if you file this form with the Court without first talking to a lawyer. For example, if you file an answer, you may be agreeing that the case can move forward in Texas. For help finding a lawyer, call your local lawyer referral service. If you do not have enough money to hire a lawyer to take your whole case, you can hire a lawyer just to give you advice and help you fill out this form. This is called Limited Scope Representation. You may also be able to talk to a lawyer for free at a legal advice clinic. For help finding a free legal advice clinic go to [www.TexasLawHelp.org](www.TexasLawHelp.org).  \nINSTRUCTIONS: If you decide to use this Defendant’s Answer form:  \n● Fill it out completely and sign it.  \n● File (turn in) your completed answer form at the Courthouse where the Petition was filed.  \n● It does not cost anything to file an answer.  \n● If you have been served, you have a limited time to file an answer. Counting from the day you were served, you have 20 days plus the following Monday, at 10 a. m. to file an answer. If you do not file an answer by the deadline, the Plaintiff can ask the court to enter a default judgment against you.  \n● Keep a copy of your answer for your records.  \n● Send a copy to the Plaintiff’s lawyer or to the Plaintiff if they are not represented by a lawyer.  \n● Filing an answer usually means you have 30 days to exchange Required Initial Disclosures. Read more [at](at www.TexasLawHelp.org)[ ](at www.TexasLawHelp.org)[www.TexasLawHelp.org](at www.TexasLawHelp.org).  \n1. Defendant’s Information  \nMy name is   . I am the Defendant in this Case.  \n(PRINT your full name.)  \nThe last three numbers of my driver’s license number are   My driver’s license was issued in (State)    \nOr  I do not have a driver’s license number.  \nThe last three numbers of my social security number are    \nOr  I do not have a social security number.  \n2. General Denial   Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 92  \nI enter a general denial.  \nI request notice of all hearings in this case.  \n3. Specific Pleas Made Under Penalty of Perjury  \nRead Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 93 for a list of specific pleas that must be verified or made under penalty of perjury. Ask a lawyer which specific pleas apply to your case.  \nI make the following specific pleas under penalty of perjury:  \n4. Affirmative Defenses  \nRead Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 94 for a list of affirmative defenses. Ask a lawyer which affirmative defenses apply to your case.  \nNote: An affirmative defense is an independent reason that the Plaintiff should not win the lawsuit. If an affirmative defense is successful, you could win the lawsuit, even if what the Plaintiff says is true. If you file an answer and do not claim an affirmative defense, you may forever give up that defense.  \nI claim the affirmative defenses checked below:  \naccord and satisfaction arbitration and award assumption of risk contributory negligence discharge in bankruptcy  \nestoppel  \nfailure of consideration fraud  \nillegality  \ninjury to fellow servant  \nlicense release  \nres judicata statute of frauds statute of limitations  \n duress  laches  waiver  \n I already paid the debt sued for. I paid $   to  on   by    \n(date) (check, cash, etc.)  \nWrite any other details regarding payment of the debt here:  \n_____________________________________________________________________________  \n_____________________________________________________________________________  \n I also claim these additional affirmative defenses:  \n_____________________________________________________________________________  \n","cbCainiG0jbSVEdB","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCainiG0jbSVEdB","pdf",190556,"English","# Cause Number\n# Defendant’s Information\n# General Denial\n# Specific Pleas Made Under Penalty of Perjury\n# Affirmative Defenses\n# Request for Judgment\n# Unsworn Declaration Made Under Penalty of Perjury","[{\"question\":\"What should a defendant do before filing the Defendant’s Answer form in Texas?\",\"answer\":\"Talk to a lawyer before filling out the form. Filing can affect legal rights and may allow the case to proceed.\"},{\"question\":\"How long does a defendant have to file an answer after being served?\",\"answer\":\"Counting from the day served, the defendant has 20 days plus the following Monday at 10 a.m. to file an answer.\"},{\"question\":\"What happens if the defendant does not file an answer by the deadline?\",\"answer\":\"The plaintiff can ask the court to enter a default judgment against the defendant.\"}]","Defendant’s Answer - Texas Civil Court Form | PDF",1789555529]