Colorado Debt Lawsuit Answer Form: what to file, where, and by when
Last verified against official court sources: 2026-07-13
Colorado county court — where debt cases up to $25,000 are filed — uses an official answer form, CRCCP Form 3, with official instructions (JDF 96). The deadline is not a day count: your answer is due at or before the return date printed on the summons. And Colorado charges defendants to answer: $90 (claims under $1,000), $110 ($1,000–$14,999), or $140 ($15,000–$25,000), waivable for low-income defendants via JDF 205.
An official form, official instructions — and a fee at the counter
CRCCP Form 3, "Answer Under Simplified Civil Procedure," is the statewide county court answer, covering counterclaims and cross-claims, with JDF 96 walking through completion and filing. District court cases (over $25,000, rare for consumer debt) require a drafted answer at a $222 fee. Note the current fee amounts live on the judicial branch's List of Fees page — the numbers printed inside older JDF instruction PDFs are stale.
The Colorado twist
Your deadline is a date printed on the summons — not a day count
County court runs on a return-date model: the answer can be filed "at or before the time specified for the Court appearance on the Summons." Defendants using generic 21-day guides can miss a nearer return date entirely. Second trap: the $90–$140 answer fee — a real barrier generic guides omit, waivable with the JDF 205 motion and financial affidavit. Third: a counterclaim over $25,000 transfers the whole case to district court and district-court fees.
Deadlines, filing, fees, and service
- Deadline: file the answer at or before the return date printed on the summons (county court simplified procedure). District court: 21 days after in-state service under C.R.C.P. 12(a).
- Filing: paper with the county court clerk, in person or by mail — Colorado's e-filing system is not available to non-attorneys for money cases (domestic relations and evictions only).
- Fee: county court answer — $90 / $110 / $140 by claim size ($95/$115/$145 with a counterclaim); district court answer $222. Waiver: JDF 205 motion + JDF 206 order.
- Venue: county court to $25,000 — the consumer-debt workhorse; small claims (to $7,500) is a separate division.
Common questions
Is there an official Colorado answer form?
Yes — CRCCP Form 3 for county court money cases, with official JDF 96 instructions. It covers your answer plus any counterclaim or cross-claim in one filing.
How long do I have to answer in Colorado?
Until the return date printed on your summons — county court uses an appear-by date, not a fixed day count. Read the summons; do not assume you have 21 days.
Why is the court charging me to answer, and what if I can't pay?
Colorado statute sets defendant answer fees of $90–$140 in county court by claim size. File the JDF 205 Motion to File Without Payment with its financial affidavit — the court can waive the fee for low-income defendants.
Primary sources
This page provides general legal information verified against the official sources linked above; it is not legal advice, and court rules change — confirm current requirements with your clerk of court. Answered is self-help software, not a law firm. If you can afford a lawyer, hire one.