The Defendant's Answer

The answer is the defendant's written response to the lawsuit filed against them. For most defendants, the answer is due by the end of the 14th day after the day the defendant was served with the citation and the petition.

For defendants that were served by publication, the answer is due by the end of the 42nd day after the day the citation was issued.

Court Rules

Rule 502.5 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Court rule governing the defendant's answer in justice court.

Understanding the Law

Civil Deskbook
Created by the Texas Justice Court Training Center, this deskbook covers procedure in civil cases in justice court. Chapter 4, Part I discusses the defendant's answer.

Forms

See the "Civil Procedure - Filing Through Trial" section on the Forms page of the Texas Justice Court Training Center's website for sample answers to small claims and debt claim cases.

E-Books

Texas residents can access e-books with a free library account.

Civil deskbook
"This deskbook on Civil Procedure in justice courts is intended to offer a practical and readily accessible source of information relating to issues you are likely to encounter in civil cases in justice court." - from the introduction
Texas litigation guide
Volume 3, Chapter 46 from this resource discuss justice court proceedings. This e-book can only be borrowed by government employees, but librarians may be able to provide a short excerpt to library patrons upon request.
Everybody's guide to small claims court
This Nolo title includes small claims procedures for every state. Chapters discuss basic procedures like writing demand letters, filing and serving papers, preparing evidence, and mediating an out-of-court settlement.
Filing and winning small claims for dummies
"Real advice you can trust and use in small claims court. When every other method to collect has failed, a small claim is the right remedy to seek. If you're looking at either prosecuting or defending in a small claims court, with or without an attorney, the information presented in Filing & Winning Small Claims For Dummies is indispensable.The nuances of small claims courts vary from state to state, but the basic approach in preparing and presenting a small claims case is extremely uniform no matter where you are." - publisher's description
Know your rights! : answers to Texans' everyday legal questions
Practical, easy-to-understand answers to questions about divorce, child support, and child custody; credit, bankruptcy, and debt collection; starting a business; leases and tenant rights; small claims court and lawyers; wills and probate; false advertising and warranties; immigration; and more.