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MC 03

Answer, Civil

Michigan · Michigan State Court Administrative Office · Effective December 1, 2022

This form is used by a defendant in a civil case to formally respond to the claims made in the complaint. It allows the defendant to state whether they agree, disagree, or do not know about specific points made in the complaint, and it also provides a section to list defenses.

The court describes it as: Court rule / statute: MCR 2.111

Open the official PDFfrom Michigan State Court Administrative Office

Where this fits in a case

Respond

Stage: Respond

This form is used by a defendant in a civil lawsuit to answer the allegations made by the person who started the case (the plaintiff). It is also used to state any defenses the defendant has against the claims.

Usually filed by the person responding.

Common questions

What is this form for?
This form, the Answer, Civil, is used by the defendant to respond to the claims made in the complaint filed by the plaintiff.
What must I do if I have defenses?
If you have affirmative defenses, you must state them on the last page of this form, or the court might not let you raise them later.
Do I need to file anything else?
The form includes a Certificate of Service, which means you must certify that you sent a copy of this answer to the plaintiff or their attorney.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect December 1, 2022.

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