Defendant’s Answer—Debt Claim Case - Debt Collection Forms

Sep 16, 2026

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Defendant’s Answer—Debt Claim Case is a court form for a defendant in a Texas justice court debt collection lawsuit. It instructs the defendant to list case identifying information, state the defendant’s identity, and respond with a general denial of the plaintiff’s claims. The form provides optional additional defenses such as lack of ownership, payment or settlement, mistaken identity, identity theft, improper notice or commercially unreasonable sale, bankruptcy discharge, expiration of the statute of limitations, prior judgment, arbitration resolution, and certain credit protection scenarios. It also covers protected income, venue transfer, jury request fees, requested relief, signature and certificate of service requirements under Texas rules.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResumes

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Defendant’s Answer—Debt Claim Case

Defendant’s Information and General Denial

Additional Defenses and Protected Income

Venue Transfer

Jury Request and Relief Requested

Signature, Certificate of Service, and Service Methods

Cause Number: Print the cause number and other court information exactly as it appears in the papers the court sent you. In the Justice Court Plaintiff Precinct Number v. Place Number (if applicable) County, Texas Defendant Defendant’s Answer—Debt Claim Case 1. Defendant’s Information. My name is I am the Defendant in this case. Defendant's full name 2. General Denial. I generally deny the Plaintiff’s claims and demand that the plaintiff prove all claims. 3. Additional Defenses. Not every case will have defenses. You can claim any of the defenses that you believe apply to your case. Check here to claim these defenses. | | The Plaintiff is not the original owner of the debt and may not be able to prove ownership of the debt. | | --- | --- | | | I already paid this debt or settled it. | | | This is not my account. I am not the person who took out this debt or I am not the person who made the charges to the account. | | | I am a victim of identity theft and I did not create this debt. | | | After taking my property securing this loan, the creditor or its representative did not give me proper notice of the sale of my property. (You should have received a notice before sale.) | | | After taking my property, the creditor did not sell the property in a “commercially reasonable”manner. (The creditor is required to sell the property, a car, for example, in a way that raises the most money and lowers your possible debt. ) | | | I filed bankruptcy and this debt was discharged or I am currently in a bankruptcy case.
My bankruptcy case number is: . | | | The statute of limitations on the debt has expired. (The statute of limitations is the time limit someone has to sue you for a debt. For most debt, the statute of limitations is four years from the last payment. ) | | | I have already been sued for this debt and a court made a decision about this debt ina judgment or case dismissal. | | | I resolved the debt in arbitration. | | --- | --- | | | I bought a credit protection plan to cancel or make payments on this debt if I became disabled or lost my job. I became disabled, lost my job, or both, and I notified the creditor or collector about my situation. | List any other defenses here. Also, some income is protected from debt collection. Use this space to let the court know if your income is protected from debt collection. Examples of protected income: retirement income like Social Security, a pension, or a 401(k), Railroad Retirement benefits, veterans’ benefits, Supplemental Security Income, disability income, spousal and child support, unemployment benefits, workers’ compensation, and public benefits like FEMA benefits or TANF. | | | --- | | | Attach additional sheets if you need more space. 4. Venue. Check this box only if the following statement applies to you: I do not live in the county or precinct of the court where I have been sued. I ask to transfer this case to the Justice Court in County , Precinct number 5. Jury Request. To request a jury trial, you must pay a fee of $22 at least 14 days before trial. Or, if you cannot pay the fee, you can file with the court a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Cost form. ☐ I request a jury trial. ☐ I do not request a jury trial. 6. Relief Requested. I reserve the right to file an Amended Answer with the court to plead other defenses after further investigation and discovery. I ask the court to enter judgment for me, to award me my costs, and for any other relief that I am entitled to. Scan or click on QR code for form. Respectfully submitted, Your Signature Date Print Your Name Address: Telephone: Email: _____________ Only fill this out if you have an email that you check every day. Certificate Of Service Certificate of Service lets the court know that you sent a copy of your Answer form to the Plaintiff. I certify that a copy of this answer was sent to t

FAQs

What information must be printed at the top of the Defendant’s Answer form?

Print the cause number and other court information exactly as shown in the papers the court sent.

What are common additional defenses a defendant can claim in a debt claim case?

Options include denying ownership of the debt, stating the debt was already paid or settled, asserting it is not the defendant’s account, identity theft, improper notice or commercially unreasonable sale of collateral, bankruptcy discharge, expiration of the statute of limitations, prior suit with a judgment/dismissal, and arbitration resolution.

How is the Certificate of Service completed and what does it require?

It certifies that a copy of the answer was sent to the plaintiff’s attorney (or the plaintiff if no attorney) on a specified date, using a selected approved service method such as mail, personal delivery, fax, email (only under certain conditions), or another court-approved method.

Sep 16, 2026

Upload by Dipper