Plaintiff’s
Home Address

Plaintiff’s Attorney’s
Address

PART 1.
Instructions: 
1. Please print.
2.

State of Alabama 
Unified Judicial System 

Form SM-3 (front) Rev. 9/2018

DEFENDANT’S ANSWER 

Case Number 

IN THE SMALL CLAIMS COURT OF _________________________________________________________________, ALABAMA  

__________________________________________ v._______________________________________ 

Plaintiff                                                                                                                   Defendant 

(Name of County) 

         Defendant’s 

Home Address 

Additional  
        Defendant(s)  

and Addresses 

DEFENDANTS ANSWER TO THE COMPLAINT  

This answer must be signed by the person or persons who have been sued or their attorney.  An answer which is not signed or which
is not signed by the proper person cannot be considered.

3. Mail the original to the Small Claims Court Clerk at the address below.
4. Mail a copy to the plaintiff or his/her attorney, if he/she is represented by an attorney, at the address above.

Keep a copy for your files.

  Notice: If you have been sued in county in which you do not live and if the suit against you is not for services or work and labor 
performed in the county where suit has been filed, you may request that it be transferred to your home county. If this applies, 
complete “A” below. 

SELECT ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: 

A. □  I do not live in this county and the suit against me is not for work or labor performed in the county where suit has been filed; thus,   I

want this case transferred to my home county of ______________________________________________,  

B. □  I admit everything in the Statement of Claim and do not want a trial.  (This means that you consent to a judgment for the

amount claimed plus court costs). 

C. □   I admit that I owe some money, but not the total amount claimed by the plaintiff(s). (If this block is checked, the case will be
set  for  trial.  Please  note  that  any  money  paid  by  you  on  this  claim  after  the  suit  was  filed  may  not  be  reflected  on  the 
Statement of Claim which you receive.  You should contact the person who has sued you or his/her attorney to determine 
the present balance which is claimed). 

D. □  I deny that I am responsible at all. (If this block is checked, this case will be set for trial).

IF YOU CHECKED “C” OR “D”, BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER.  

_______________________________________________________________________________ 
Name, Address & Phone Number of Employer:   

PART  II.    This  answer  must  be  signed  by  the  person  or  persons  who  have  been  sued  or  their  attorney.  An  answer  which  is 
not  signed  at  all  or  which  is  not  signed  by  the  proper  person  cannot  be  considered.    Keep  a  copy  of  this  Answer 
and any other documents you receive concerning your case for your files. 

CLERK’S ADDRESS:

Clerk’s Phone No. ________________________________ 

Defendant's Address (if different from above)

(See instructions on the Back)

____________________________________________________   
Defendant or Defendant’s Attorney (Signature) 

Attorney Code __________________________ 
__________________________________________ 
Defendant or Defendant’s Attorney’s Phone Number 

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

 Date of Filing_________________________________________ 

Form SM-3 (back)        Rev. 9/2018

INSTRUCTIONS TO EACH DEFENDANT 

ANSWER ONLY 

1.

2.

You MUST fill out (print or type) this form AND deliver or mail a copy of it to the clerk at the address on the front, SO IT WILL ARRIVE
AT  THE  CLERK’S  OFFICE  WITHIN  14  DAYS  AFTER  THE  STATEMENT  OF  CLAIM  WAS  DELIVERED  TO  YOU.  You  must  complete
this form even if you admit you are responsible for part – not all – of what the plaintiff(s) claims.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAIL THIS FORM TO THE CLERK, YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH THE CLERK’S OFFICE AFTER SEVERAL
DAYS TO MAKE SURE IT WAS RECEIVED ON TIME. Be sure to refer to your case number.  This Answer must be received by the
clerk within 14 days from the date it was delivered to you.

3. BE  SURE  TO  KEEP  A  COPY  OF  YOUR  ANSWER  FOR  YOURSELF.  After  it  is  received  by  the  clerk,  you  will  be  sent  a  notice  of

the time and place of your trial if you have denied what the plaintiff claims.