If a debt collector sues you in Kansas, the clock starts immediately. You usually have just 21 days to respond. Ignoring the papers won’t make the debt go away. In fact, silence is exactly what collectors hope for. When you don’t respond, the court grants a default judgment, which lets the collector garnish your wages or take money directly from your bank account.
You can fight back. You don’t need a law firm to protect your rights. By filing a document called an “Answer,” you force the collector to prove their case in court. Most people use self-help tools to handle this process themselves.
Create your court-ready Kansas Answer in 15 minutes with DebtAegis.
1. Know Your Kansas Deadlines
In Kansas, you must serve your Answer within 21 days after receiving the Summons and Petition. This rule applies to most civil cases under Kansas Statutes 60-212. If you miss this window, you lose your chance to defend yourself. Do not wait until the last day to start your paperwork.
2. The Cost to File
There is good news for your budget: Kansas typically does not charge a fee to file a standard Answer. As long as you are only denying the claims and listing your defenses, the filing is free.
- Standard Answer: $0 filing fee.
- Counterclaims: If you sue the collector back, you will pay a fee ranging from $47.50 to $67.50 depending on the amount.
3. Three Steps to Respond
Writing an Answer from scratch is risky—one small mistake can lead to a default judgment. Your document needs to follow a specific structure to be accepted by the court.
Step A: Address Each Claim
The collector’s “Petition” lists numbered paragraphs with allegations against you. In your Answer, you must respond to each one. You have three choices for every paragraph:
- I agree: Use this only if the statement is 100% true.
- I disagree: Use this to challenge the collector’s claims.
- I don’t know: Use this if you lack enough information to confirm the statement.
Many people choose to deny as many claims as possible. This forces the collector to provide actual evidence for every point they make.
Step B: Assert Affirmative Defenses
An affirmative defense is a legal reason why you shouldn’t have to pay, even if the debt was yours. Common defenses include:
- Statute of Limitations: The time limit for the collector to sue has passed. In Kansas, this is usually 5 years for written contracts and credit cards, or 3 years for oral agreements.
- Lack of Standing: The collector bought the debt but can’t prove they actually own it.
- Identity Theft: You never agreed to the debt because the account was opened fraudulently.
Step C: File and Serve
Once your Answer is signed, you must get it to the right people.
- The Court: Deliver the original copy to the Clerk of Court listed on your Summons.
- The Plaintiff: Mail a copy to the collector’s attorney. We recommend using USPS Certified Mail with a Return Receipt so you have proof they received it.
Procedural Compliance: Self-represented defendants in Kansas usually cannot file online. You should rely on mail or in-person filing to ensure your documents are recorded correctly.
4. Why Use DebtAegis?
We provide document preparation for people representing themselves (“Pro Se”). Our system simplifies the legal jargon so you can focus on your defense.
- Essential Plan ($67): Includes your AI-generated Answer and step-by-step filing instructions.
- Plus Plan ($147): Adds a specialist review to check your formatting.
- Premium Plan ($247): Offers priority handling for urgent 21-day deadlines.
We stand by our work with a 100% money-back guarantee if the court rejects your filing due to our formatting errors.