Getting served with a lawsuit is a shock. It ruins your morning. It keeps you up at night.
But panic is not a strategy. Action is.
If you have received a Summons and Complaint in Colorado, you are on a tight clock. You typically have 21 days to respond. If you do nothing, the court will likely hand the debt collector a default judgment—a legal pass to garnish your wages or drain your bank account.
You can fight this. You don’t need a law degree to protect yourself.
Create your court-approved Colorado Answer in 15 minutes with DebtAegis.
1. The Colorado Deadline: 21 Days
Time is your most important asset right now.
According to Colorado Rule of Civil Procedure 12(a)(1), you must file your Answer within 21 days of being served. The clock starts the moment the papers are handed to you.
The Risk of Waiting
If you miss this window, the plaintiff (the debt collector) wins automatically. This is called a default judgment. Once they have this judgment, they can:
- Garnish your paycheck.
- Place a lien on your home.
- Freeze your bank funds.
Don’t let them win by forfeit. File your Answer on time.
2. Colorado Filing Fees
Unlike some states where filing an Answer is free, Colorado courts charge a fee. The court requires this payment to accept your document.
The fee depends on how much money the collector is suing you for. Here is the breakdown for 2025:
- Debt under $1,000: $80 fee
- Debt between $1,000 – $15,000: $100 fee
- Debt between $15,000 – $25,000: $130 fee
- Debt over $25,000: $192 fee
Can’t afford the fee?
You have options. You can ask the court to waive the cost by filing Form JDF 202 (Motion to File without Payment and Supporting Financial Affidavit). If the judge agrees you have a hardship, you won’t pay a dime.
3. How to Create Your Answer
The “Summons” tells you that you are being sued. The “Complaint” lists the specific claims against you. Your job is to respond to those claims in a document called the Answer.
Step 1: Respond to Each Allegation
Read the numbered paragraphs in the Complaint. For each one, you must choose a response:
- Admit: “This is true.” (Be careful with this).
- Deny: “This is not true. Prove it.”
- Lack of Knowledge: “I don’t know enough to say if this is true.”
Most defendants choose to deny the claims. This forces the debt collector to produce paperwork proving you actually owe the money.
Step 2: Assert Your “Affirmative Defenses”
This is your shield. An affirmative defense is a legal reason why you shouldn’t have to pay, even if the facts are true.
Common Colorado defenses include:
- Statute of Limitations: The debt is too old (generally 6 years in Colorado).
- Identity Theft: The debt isn’t yours.
- Payment: You already paid this debt.
- Lack of Standing: The collector didn’t buy the debt paperwork correctly and doesn’t have the right to sue you.
Note: “I don’t have the money” is not a legal defense.
4. Filing Your Answer
Drafting the document is half the battle. Filing it correctly is the other half.
You must file two copies of your signed Answer:
- File with the Court: Mail it or take it to the court clerk listed on your Summons. You must pay the filing fee (or submit your waiver request) at this time.
- Serve the Plaintiff: You must mail a copy to the debt collector’s attorney. Use Certified Mail so you have proof they received it.
Stop Worrying. Start Filing.
The legal system is designed to be complex, but your defense doesn’t have to be. You have a right to tell your side of the story.
DebtAegis simplifies the process. We help you generate a clean, professional Answer document that includes your affirmative defenses and meets Colorado’s formatting rules.