Debt collection answer

You will find out that the creditor is suing you when the court sends you a “summons and complaint." This is a letter that tells you that you are being sued. It also includes who is suing you, the reason they are suing you and what they want. You must respond to the summons by filing an answer within 28 days.

You can use the template on this page to create your answer. It can be hard to work through this without a lawyer. If you can, try to find a lawyer to help you.

You will need to respond to each numbered paragraph of the complaint. Review each paragraph carefully and then follow the simple rules below:

• Admit if you agree with every part of paragraph.
• Deny if you disagree with any part of a paragraph.
• Respond I don’t have enough information to answer if you don’t know whether that paragraph is true.

Don’t guess, it’s ok not to know or to deny.

This is a template for use statewide in Ohio. If you are being sued in Franklin County Municipal Court, you can use the Franklin County Municipal Court Form Assistant instead of this template.