McLennan County, TX · McLennan County
Defendant’s Answer Form
Defendants use this court form to respond to a lawsuit, state denials or defenses, and request relief from the court.
At a glance
- Issued by
- City of McLennan County · McLennan County, McLennan County, Texas
- Notarization
- Not required: file this form without a notary.
- Official source
- mclennan.gov
- Blank form
- Download the PDF
- Catalogued
- Machine-readable
- JSON record · about the forms index
What this form is
A defendant may use this form to answer a complaint or petition filed in a district, county court at law, or Justice Court. It asks for case and contact information, responses and defenses, and the relief requested; defendants who select certain pleas or defenses must also complete the unsworn declaration. The form provides filing instructions and a certificate of service.
Who needs it
A defendant responding to a lawsuit may use this form to provide an answer to the court and a copy to the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney.
How to submit it
The form says to file the completed, signed answer at the courthouse where the petition was filed and send a copy to the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney. It says filling out or filing the form does not cost anything.
About notarization
This document is signed without a notary; defendants selecting certain pleas or defenses must complete an unsworn declaration under penalty of perjury, which does not require notarization.
How to submit this form
- 1
Download the Form
Download the Defendant’s Answer Form and read its instructions and warnings before completing it.
- 2
Complete and Sign
Complete the case heading and applicable sections, then sign and date the form.
- 3
Gather Attachments
Attach documents referred to in the form and any extra pages needed, marked with the relevant paragraph number.
- 4
File and Send a Copy
File the answer at the courthouse where the petition was filed and send a copy to the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Defendant’s Answer Form?
- It is a court form for a defendant to respond to a complaint or petition, provide information about the case, state defenses, and request relief.
- Do I need a notary for the Defendant’s Answer Form?
- No. The form is signed without a notary. If you select certain pleas or defenses, complete its unsworn declaration under penalty of perjury.
- How do I submit the Defendant’s Answer Form?
- File the completed, signed form at the courthouse where the petition was filed, and send a copy to the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney.
- Does it cost anything to file this form?
- The form states that it does not cost anything to fill out or file. It also instructs defendants to keep a copy of all documents for their records.