Loading
Got served with a lawsuit in Utah? An Answer is due 21 days after service in Utah, or 30 days if you were served outside the state. Here's how to file one under the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure.
If you've been served with a Complaint in Utah, your deadline to respond is 21 days from service in Utah (30 days if you were served outside the state). Missing this deadline can result in a default judgment — the court rules against you automatically. Don't wait.
Your deadline depends on how you were served.
In Utah, an Answer is due 21 days after the summons and complaint are served within the state, or 30 days if they were served outside Utah (URCP 12(a)(1)). The clock starts the day after service. Mail service is complete on the date the receipt is signed, and accepted service on the date of acceptance. The extra days for mail in URCP 6(c) apply to later papers served by mail, not to the summons and complaint. Miss this deadline and the plaintiff can request a default judgment against you.
The Complaint lists numbered paragraphs with the plaintiff's allegations. Your Answer must respond to each paragraph individually. You'll either admit, deny, or state that you lack sufficient information to admit or deny each allegation.
Your Answer needs a case caption (matching the Complaint), numbered paragraph responses, any legal reasons the case should fail (affirmative defenses) under URCP Rule 8(c), and a signature block. Utah courts require specific formatting: 1-inch margins, readable font, and your case number on every page.
Legal reasons the case should fail (affirmative defenses) are reasons the plaintiff should lose even if their facts are true. Common ones in Utah include: statute of limitations, failure to state a claim, accord and satisfaction, estoppel, and waiver. Under URCP Rule 8(c), you must raise them in your Answer or risk waiving them.
Utah state courts use electronic filing through the Utah Courts E-Filing system. You'll need to create an account, pay the filing fee (or request a fee waiver if you qualify), and upload your Answer as a PDF.
After filing, you must serve a copy on the plaintiff (or their attorney). Under URCP Rule 5(b), you can serve by email if the other party has consented to electronic service, or by mail. Prepare a Certificate of Service documenting how and when you served.
Under URCP Rule 8(c), affirmative defenses must be raised in your Answer. If you don't include them, you may waive them permanently.
Most civil cases are filed in Utah District Court. Utah has eight judicial districts. The Third District (Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele counties) handles the highest volume.
Small claims (up to $11,000) and minor civil disputes are handled in Justice Court. Procedures are simplified, but you still need properly formatted documents.
Utah courts use mandatory e-filing through the Utah Courts E-Filing portal. Self-represented parties can create accounts and file documents electronically.
SynthCounsel produces the Answer once the rule data behind it is reviewed by a licensed attorney; until then this guide explains the process.