Guided Pathway to reply to a claim

CLEO’s Guided Pathway for replying to a claim is for people who are being sued in Small Claims Court and want to reply to the Plaintiff’s Claim, make a claim of their own, or both. This pathway can help you fill out a Defence (Form 9A), a Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A), or both.

The pathways ask you questions about your situation, give you information to help answer them, and creates documents based on your answers.

The pathways are free to use. When you’re finished, you can save or print your forms. You will also get instructions about how to give them to the court.

Defence (Form 9A)

To reply to a lawsuit against you, you can file a Defence (Form 9A). In your Defence, you can explain whether you agree or disagree with the Plaintiff’s Claim (Form 7A), or part of it, and why. If you agree with any part of the Plaintiff’s Claim, you can say whether you want to pay the plaintiff, or return the goods or personal property they’re asking for.

You have 20 calendar days to file your Defence with the court after you receive the Plaintiff’s Claim. The pathway has more information on deadlines and what to do if you can’t meet them.

Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A)

If you also want to sue the plaintiff, or someone else, you can file a Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A). Small Claims Court is for claims of $50,000 or less.

If you’re suing the plaintiff, your claim can be related to the Plaintiff’s Claim, or about something different, as long as the plaintiff caused you to suffer a loss, damage, or injury.

If you’re suing someone else, your claim must be related to the Plaintiff’s Claim, or to the same transaction or event that the plaintiff sued you for. For example, you may want to sue another person or organization because you think they’re responsible for the problem the plaintiff sued you for. This pathway can either help you make a Defendant’s Claim against the plaintiff or against another person or organization, but not both.

You must file a Defence with the court before you can make a Defendant’s Claim. You have 20 calendar days to file your Defendant’s Claim after you file your Defence. This pathway can help you complete both forms at the same time. It has more information on deadlines and what to do if you can’t meet them.

You can use this pathway if:	What you need to get started:
you want to fill out a Defence (Form 9A) to reply to a Plaintiff’s Claim against you you want to fill out a Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A) to sue the plaintiff who sued you, or to sue another person or organization if you are suing for something related to the Plaintiff’s Claim, or to the same transaction or event you want to fill out both a Defence and Defendant’s Claim you want to learn more about the types of claims you can take to Small Claims Court, and how easy or hard it may be to collect your money if you win your Defendant’s Claim	Information you need if you want to fill out a Defence (Form 9A): a copy of the Plaintiff’s Claim the name and contact information of each plaintiff and defendant (these should be on the Plaintiff’s Claim) the facts about what happened, including dates and locations, if necessary, to describe what happened documents related to your Defence, like emails, photos, agreements, financial documents Information you need if you want to fill out a Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A): the name and contact information for yourself and any other Plaintiffs by Defendant’s Claim—the people or organizations who are suing the name and contact information for each Defendant by Defendant’s Claim—the people or organizations you want to sue the reasons for your claim, including what happened, where, and when what you’re asking for and why documents related to your Defendant’s Claim, like emails, photos, agreements, financial documents If you want to use the pathway to learn more about Small Claims Court, you don’t need any information to start.

You can use this pathway if:

What you need to get started:

you want to fill out a Defence (Form 9A) to reply to a Plaintiff’s Claim against you
you want to fill out a Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A) to sue the plaintiff who sued you, or to sue another person or organization if you are suing for something related to the Plaintiff’s Claim, or to the same transaction or event
you want to fill out both a Defence and Defendant’s Claim
you want to learn more about the types of claims you can take to Small Claims Court, and how easy or hard it may be to collect your money if you win your Defendant’s Claim

Information you need if you want to fill out a Defence (Form 9A):

a copy of the Plaintiff’s Claim
the name and contact information of each plaintiff and defendant (these should be on the Plaintiff’s Claim)
the facts about what happened, including dates and locations, if necessary, to describe what happened
documents related to your Defence, like emails, photos, agreements, financial documents

Information you need if you want to fill out a Defendant’s Claim (Form 10A):

the name and contact information for yourself and any other Plaintiffs by Defendant’s Claim—the people or organizations who are suing
the name and contact information for each Defendant by Defendant’s Claim—the people or organizations you want to sue
the reasons for your claim, including what happened, where, and when
what you’re asking for and why
documents related to your Defendant’s Claim, like emails, photos, agreements, financial documents

If you want to use the pathway to learn more about Small Claims Court, you don’t need any information to start.

Using the pathway

You can sign up to create an account or use the pathway as a guest. If you choose not to create an account, the system will time out after 1 hour of inactivity. You must create an account if you want to save your work on the system or use the other pathways.

Any personal information that you enter into the pathways is confidential. CLEO will not give your personal information to anyone unless you ask us to do this. Read more in our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Need help?

If you need help using the Guided Pathways or have questions, visit our FAQs page.

The Guided Pathways don’t give you legal advice. For advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer or paralegal.