Served with eviction papers, we'll help you answer before your deadline expires
SueEasy checks your notice for common problems, prepares your official court answer, and gets everything ready to file, starting at $199.
What's at stake in an unlawful detainer case
You could lose without ever speaking
If you don't answer in time, the landlord can win automatically. No hearing, no chance to explain what happened.
The lockout can happen fast
Once a judgment is entered, a sheriff can post a notice to leave in as little as five days, then the lockout follows.
It can follow you for years
An eviction can make renting again much harder. Answer in time, and it stays hidden from public view for 60 days.
What it costs to answer an eviction lawsuit
Start free, see everything before you pay
- Full guided intake
- Notice checked for common problems
- Defenses that may apply to your case
- Draft answer preview
Priced by how much is at stake in your case
- Rent or damages claimed under $12,500: $199
- Rent or damages claimed $12,500-$35,000: $699
- Rent or damages claimed over $35,000: $1,299
- Complete answer, ready to file
- Court fee collected in one checkout
Extra confidence, priced by case size
- Everything in File it yourself
- Licensed CA attorney review
- Revisions before filing
- Attorney files on your behalf
The court also charges its own filing fee, $225 to $435 depending on the amount at stake in your case, paid separately to the clerk. This covers preparing and filing your answer. It's not legal representation unless you add attorney review, and we won't appear in court on your behalf.
From eviction notice to a filed answer
Tell us what's going on
A few plain questions about your notice, your lease, and what happened. This is also where we help you understand exactly how much time you actually have, since eviction deadlines are easy to miscount.
- Your time starts the day after you're served, not the day itself
- Weekends and court holidays don't count, so 10 days is usually about 3 weeks
- If someone else at your home was served for you, you likely get 5 extra days
- Papers just taped to your door without a judge's approval may not count as valid at all
- Already past your deadline? Check with the court first, sometimes nothing's happened yet and you can still respond
We draft your answer
Your official court answer gets filled out properly, using the exact form the court expects, not a generic downloaded template. We match your facts against the defenses that actually fit, an invalid notice, unsafe living conditions, retaliation, or a landlord who accepted rent after giving notice, so nothing you could raise gets left out by accident.
You file it in time
We tell you exactly which county court it goes to, how to properly serve the landlord's attorney, and what a conformed, stamped copy is, since that's your proof you responded on time. Missing a filing detail here can bounce back even a well-written answer.
Was your eviction notice done right
Most eviction cases are built entirely on this one piece of paper. If it's wrong, the whole case can fall apart.
Common mistakes landlords make
- Asking for the wrong amount of rent
- Adding in late fees or other charges that aren't rent
- Not clearly saying where or how to pay
- Counting the days wrong, or skipping a reason when one's required
Reasons you might have a real defense
- The place wasn't safe or livable, no heat, mold, pests, and similar problems
- Your landlord came after you right after you complained about something
- Your landlord accepted rent after already giving you the notice
- You tried to pay in full and were turned away
If your eviction case doesn't go your way
A notice to leave
Once judgment is entered, the sheriff posts a notice giving you five more days before the locks actually change.
Sometimes a little more time
Courts occasionally grant a short extension if you can show real hardship, though it's usually days rather than weeks.
A bill you still owe
Unpaid rent and costs can turn into a judgment that follows you for years, reaching into your paycheck or bank account.
But it doesn't have to end this way, settle instead
Many cases end with an agreed move-out date instead of a full trial, sometimes with the back rent forgiven. This usually means the case gets dismissed, which protects your record the same way winning would. The best time to work this out is before anything's been decided against you, not after.
Unlawful detainer questions, answered
SueEasy is a self-help legal technology product built by LegalForce RAPC Worldwide, P.C. Using SueEasy does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not provide legal advice. You are not represented by an attorney unless you hire one. If you are at risk of losing your home, legal aid and your court's self-help center may be able to help at no cost.