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Tennessee Answer to a Complaint

Tennessee gives you 30 calendar days to answer a complaint under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.01. File on time in Circuit or Chancery Court or you risk a default.

Introduction

A Tennessee Answer to a Complaint is the written response you file with the clerk of the Circuit Court or Chancery Court after you are served with a summons and complaint. It admits or denies the complaint's allegations, raises the affirmative defenses you intend to rely on, and, if you have a related claim, includes a counterclaim. In a general civil case, Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.01 gives you 30 days after the summons and complaint are served to file your answer. What sets a Tennessee answer apart is that there is no statewide fill-in answer form. You type the answer as a pleading on a caption that complies with Tenn. R. Civ. P. 10.01, respond to the allegations, and file it with the clerk of the court named in the summons. The deadline is different in other courts. A civil case in General Sessions Court, which handles claims up to $50,000, requires no written answer at all, because the Rules of Civil Procedure do not apply there and you simply appear on the court date stated in the civil warrant. Miss the 30-day deadline in Circuit or Chancery Court and the plaintiff can apply for a default judgment under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 55.01. DocDraft drafts a Tennessee-formatted answer from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.

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Key Things to Know

  1. 1

    Your deadline is 30 calendar days. In a general civil case, Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.01 requires you to serve your answer within 30 days after the summons and complaint are served on you. The case is filed in Circuit Court or Chancery Court, which have unlimited civil jurisdiction.

  2. 2

    There is no statewide answer form. Tennessee does not publish a fill-in answer form for general civil cases. You type the answer as a pleading on a caption that complies with Tenn. R. Civ. P. 10.01, naming the court, the parties, and the docket number from the summons.

  3. 3

    General Sessions Court has no written answer. A civil case in General Sessions Court, which handles claims up to $50,000 as of July 1, 2025, requires no written answer. The Rules of Civil Procedure do not apply there, so you appear in person on the court date stated in the civil warrant.

  4. 4

    An eviction has no written answer either. In an unlawful detainer (eviction) case, which is heard in General Sessions Court, you are not required to file a written answer. The serving officer sets a trial date not less than 6 days from service under Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-117, and you appear on that date.

  5. 5

    There is no fee to file an answer, and waivers exist. The answer filing fee is $0, though a counterclaim or cross-claim carries a $100 fee under Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401. If you cannot afford court costs, you can file a Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency.

  6. 6

    You must serve a copy on the plaintiff. After filing the answer with the clerk under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.06, serve a copy on the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney by delivery, mail to the last known address, or email, under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02.

  7. 7

    A related claim may be compulsory. Under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 13.01, a counterclaim that arises out of the same transaction or occurrence as the plaintiff's claim must be stated in your answer. The statute of limitations on a written contract is 6 years under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3).

Key Decisions

Responding to the Allegations

Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaims

Filing and Serving Your Answer

Customize your Answer to a Complaint Template with DocDraft

IN THE [CIRCUIT COURT / CHANCERY COURT] FOR [COUNTY] COUNTY, TENNESSEE

[PLAINTIFF NAME], Plaintiff, v. Docket No. [DOCKET NUMBER] [DEFENDANT NAME], Defendant.

ANSWER OF DEFENDANT

Defendant [DEFENDANT NAME] answers the Complaint of Plaintiff [PLAINTIFF NAME] and states as follows.

I. RESPONSES TO ALLEGATIONS

  1. Answering paragraph 1 of the Complaint, Defendant [admits / denies / is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of the allegations and therefore denies them].
  2. Answering paragraph 2 of the Complaint, Defendant [admits / denies / is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief and therefore denies]. [Continue for each numbered paragraph of the Complaint.]

II. AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES [State each affirmative defense you intend to rely on, for example: the claim is barred by the six-year statute of limitations on a written contract under Tenn. Code Ann. 28-3-109(a)(3); payment; release; accord and satisfaction; fraud; statute of frauds; waiver; estoppel.]

III. COUNTERCLAIM (if any) [State any claim you have against the Plaintiff. Under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 13.01 a counterclaim arising out of the same transaction or occurrence as the Plaintiff's claim must be stated in this answer. A counterclaim carries a $100 filing fee under Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401.]

IV. PRAYER FOR RELIEF Defendant respectfully requests that the Plaintiff take nothing, that the Complaint be dismissed, that costs be taxed to the Plaintiff, and that the Court grant any further relief to which Defendant is justly entitled.

Respectfully submitted,

[SIGNATURE] [DEFENDANT NAME], Pro Se [ADDRESS / PHONE / EMAIL]

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that on [DATE] a true copy of this answer was served on [PLAINTIFF / PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY] under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02, by [delivery / mail to the last known address / email]. [SIGNATURE]

Tennessee Requirements for Answer to a Complaint

30-Day Answer Deadline

In a general civil case your answer is due within 30 days after the summons and complaint are served on you, under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.01. The case is filed in Circuit Court or Chancery Court. A civil case in General Sessions Court requires no written answer; you appear on the court date stated in the civil warrant.

Typed Pleading, No Statewide Form

Tennessee has no statewide fill-in answer form for general civil cases. Type the answer as a pleading that admits or denies the complaint's allegations and states your defenses. There is no required Judicial Council form to complete; the answer is a self-prepared document.

Court Caption

Caption the answer for the court named in the summons, which for a general civil case is the Circuit Court or Chancery Court for the county where the suit was filed, under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 10.01. Include the docket number, the parties' names, and a title such as Answer of Defendant.

File With the Court Clerk

File your answer with the clerk of the court named in the summons, under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.06. You can file in person or by mail. Electronic filing is permitted where a local rule adopts it and is mandatory in some counties.

Serve a Copy on the Plaintiff

Under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5.02, serve a copy of your answer on the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney by delivering a copy, mailing it to the last known address, or sending it by email, and keep proof of service.

No Answer Fee, Waiver Available

The fee to file an answer in Tennessee is $0, though a counterclaim or cross-claim carries a $100 fee under Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401. If you cannot afford court costs, file a Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency based on poverty or inability to bear the expenses of the case.

Affirmative Defenses

State each affirmative defense you intend to rely on, such as statute of limitations, payment, release, accord and satisfaction, fraud, statute of frauds, waiver, or estoppel. The statute of limitations on a written contract is six years under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3).

Compulsory Counterclaim If Any

Under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 13.01, a counterclaim that arises out of the same transaction or occurrence as the plaintiff's claim, and does not require third parties the court cannot reach, must be stated in your answer or you can lose the right to bring it later. A counterclaim carries a $100 filing fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

In a general civil case, Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.01 requires you to serve your answer within 30 days after the summons and complaint are served on you. That case is filed in Circuit Court or Chancery Court. The rule is different in other courts. A civil case in General Sessions Court requires no written answer, because the Rules of Civil Procedure do not apply there and you appear on the court date stated in the civil warrant. An eviction is also heard in General Sessions Court, where the serving officer sets a trial date not less than 6 days from service and no written answer is required. Missing your deadline can lead to a default judgment.

Tennessee does not publish a statewide fill-in answer form for general civil cases. You type the answer as a pleading on a caption that complies with Tenn. R. Civ. P. 10.01, which names the court, the parties, and the docket number shown on the summons. The answer admits or denies the allegations of the complaint and states any affirmative defenses you intend to rely on.

File your answer with the clerk of the court named in the summons, which for a general civil case is the Circuit Court or Chancery Court where the suit was filed. You can file in person or by mail, and electronic filing is permitted where a local rule adopts it and is mandatory in some counties. A claim up to $50,000 may instead be heard in General Sessions Court, which requires no written answer.

The fee to file an answer in Tennessee is $0. If you include a counterclaim or cross-claim, that carries a $100 fee under Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401. If you cannot afford court costs, you can file a Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency with the court, based on poverty or inability to bear the expenses of the case.

Under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 55.01, when a defendant fails to plead or otherwise defend, the plaintiff can apply to the court for a judgment by default. You may be able to set the judgment aside by filing a Motion to Set Aside Default Judgment under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 60.02, within a reasonable time and not more than one year after the judgment, by showing mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect. The reliable path is to file on time.

Yes, and you may be required to. Under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 13.01, a counterclaim that arises out of the same transaction or occurrence as the plaintiff's claim, and does not require third parties the court cannot reach, must be stated in your answer. A claim from a different transaction may be raised as a permissive counterclaim. A counterclaim carries a $100 filing fee under Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401.