Finding out you are being sued for debt is scary. You are already stressed trying to manage your bills. The thought of facing a lawsuit alone feels overwhelming. While hiring a lawyer is ideal, most people who fall behind on payments cannot afford one.
It is tempting to ignore the court papers. Do not do it. Ignoring a lawsuit is the worst choice you can make. If you fail to respond, the collector wins automatically, and the court issues a default judgment against you. This judgment allows them to legally garnish your wages or levy your bank account.
This guide simplifies the process. It walks you through how to use DebtAegis’s document preparation tools to file a formal Answer in a Nevada debt collection case before the deadline.
1. Mind the Strict 20-Day Deadline
The single most important step is responding on time. In Nevada, you have 20 days to file a written Answer after you are served with the Summons and Complaint. This rule comes from the Nevada Justice Court’s Rules of Civil Procedure (Rule 12).
- If you miss the 20-day mark, the Plaintiff (the collection agency) asks the court for a default judgment.
- A default judgment means you lose the case without ever having your say.
- Once they have a default judgment, they can ask the court to garnish your paycheck. This takes money before you even see it.
Your goal is simple: file a formal Answer before the deadline. This forces the collector to prove their case.
2. Prepare Your Answer Document
A formal Answer is a legal paper that tells the court and the Plaintiff your side of the story. It must follow strict court formatting rules. The good news is that Nevada courts often provide basic forms to help self-represented defendants. The court where the case was filed (District Court or Justice Court) is listed on your Summons. You should use the form for that specific court.
DebtAegis makes this simple by generating a court-ready Answer document for you. Our self-help tools ensure your document meets all procedural compliance requirements.
3. Follow the Three Critical Steps to Respond
To fight back, your Answer must do three main things:
A. Answer Each Claim in the Complaint
The Complaint lists numbered claims against you. In your Answer, you must respond to each one. For most debt lawsuits, your three response options are:
- Admit: You agree with the statement.
- Deny: You disagree with the statement.
- Deny due to lack of knowledge: You do not have enough information to form a belief about the claim’s truth. This works as a denial in court.
Most lawyers suggest denying as many claims as possible. This forces the Plaintiff to provide real evidence, which they often struggle to do. For example, deny the exact amount of the debt or that you are responsible for it.
B. Assert Your Affirmative Defenses
An affirmative defense is a reason why the Plaintiff should not win, even if their claims are true. You must list these reasons in your Answer document, or you lose the right to use them later.
The most common and powerful defenses include:
- Statute of Limitations: This is the time limit the law gives a creditor to sue you. If the clock ran out before they filed the lawsuit, the case is too old to enforce in court. In Nevada, this limit is usually:
- 4 years for open accounts (like most credit card debt).
- 6 years for written contracts (like some loans).
If your debt falls outside this window, you must raise this defense.
- Payment: You already paid the debt.
- Identity Theft: The debt is not yours.
- Accord and Satisfaction: You and the original creditor already made a new settlement agreement.
C. File Your Answer and Serve the Plaintiff
You must file your Answer with the court and send a copy to the Plaintiff’s attorney. This final step is crucial for procedural compliance.
- Print at least two copies of your completed Answer (one for the court, one for the opposing attorney). Keep a third copy for yourself.
- Mail the document to the Court Clerk and the opposing attorney via U.S. Mail.
- Fill out the “Certificate of Mailing” section on your Answer form. This legally certifies to the court that you sent the copy to the Plaintiff’s attorney.
Note on Filing Fees: Nevada courts charge a fee to file your Answer, and this fee varies widely by county and court type (Justice vs. District Court). If you cannot pay the fee, you must also file a Fee Waiver Application (sometimes called a Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis) along with your Answer.
The Next Move is Yours
The system is set up to intimidate you into silence. By responding and following the correct procedural compliance steps, you show the court you are ready to fight. You take control back from the collection agency.
Ready to start your fight? Use our self-help document preparation tools to generate your Answer instantly.