How to Answer a Debt Collection Summons in Maine (2025 Guide)

Sued for debt in Maine? You can fight back.

You have 20 days to respond to the lawsuit. Miss that deadline and you lose automatically by default judgment.

Many people ignore debts they cannot pay. When debt collectors call repeatedly, blocking their number becomes tempting. But ignoring a lawsuit will destroy your finances.

Debt collectors in Maine can sue you two ways. For amounts under $6,000, they file in Small Claims court. You just show up with your evidence on the court date.

For larger amounts, they file in District Court. You receive a Complaint and Summons. These documents explain who is suing you, why, and how much they claim you owe.

District Court lawsuits require swift action. You must file a written Answer to protect your rights. Without it, you cannot defend yourself in court.

Here is everything you need to file an Answer in Maine.

Maine Deadline for Answering a Debt Collection Summons

You have 20 days to respond. The clock starts when you are served with the Summons and Complaint.

A deputy or process server will hand these documents to you personally. They tell you when and where to appear in court. They list who is suing you and why. They state the amount claimed.

Your response determines your case outcome. Ignore these documents and face a default judgment. Respond quickly and you can defend yourself in court.

You do not need to file an Answer if you agree with the debt. But you should file an Answer if:

• You do not believe you owe the debt
• The creditor violated the contract or Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
• You agree with the debt but not the amount
• You have proof you already paid the debt in full or in part

Any time you want input on the plaintiff’s complaint, file an Answer.

Need debt validation? Request it in discovery before your hearing. Use Maine’s Discovery form and file it with the court clerk. Serve a copy to the plaintiff or their attorney.

Our partner Solo helps you meet the deadline. Their software walks you through creating your Answer and filing it on time.

File one copy with the courts. Mail another copy to the plaintiff or their attorney.

Maine Answer to Summons Forms

Your Answer must contain specific elements:

• Court, case, and party information
• Your response to each paragraph in the Complaint
• Your Affirmative Defenses explaining why you do not owe the debt

Incorrect format or missing information will get your Answer rejected. Even if you file before the deadline.

You can use Maine’s Sample Answer Form for civil lawsuits like debt collection cases. The downside: limited space for affirmative defenses.

Our partner Solo provides correctly formatted Answer documents. Input your information, answer questions, and receive a court-ready Answer.

Answer Filing Fees for Maine

You pay no fees to file your Answer with the courts. Hand delivery to the court clerk costs nothing.

Mailing requires certified mail for delivery confirmation. Send a copy to the plaintiff or their attorney via certified or express mail too.

Other than postage, filing an Answer in Maine is free.

Steps to Respond to a Debt Collection Case in Maine

Respond as soon as you receive the Summons and Complaint. File an Answer with the courts immediately.

Follow these three steps to draft an Answer that increases your winning chances:

1. Answer each claim listed in the Complaint
2. Assert affirmative defenses
3. File the Answer with the court and serve the plaintiff

1. Answer Each Claim Listed in the Complaint

The Complaint lists each issue by paragraph number. Answer each one in three ways:

1. Admit
2. Deny
3. Deny due to lack of knowledge

Most attorneys recommend denying as many claims as possible. Denying forces the plaintiff to prove it. If they cannot, they have no case.

Denying due to lack of knowledge also pushes the plaintiff to prove the claim.

Your reasons for each answer go in the next section.

2. Assert Affirmative Defenses

Affirmative defenses are legal reasons the plaintiff is not entitled to what they ask. The most common defenses include:

• The entity suing you is not the original creditor with no proof they can collect
• The statute of limitations expired, making court action unlawful
• The original creditor violated the contract or agreement
• The contract was voided by misconduct or term violations
• You are a victim of identity theft
• You did not authorize the account or enter into any contract

Many other legal stances may defend your position. Note: inability to pay is not an acceptable affirmative defense.

Unsure what to include? Getting attorney advice helps. Our partner Solo clarifies your affirmative defenses as you create your response.

3. File the Answer With the Court and Serve the Plaintiff

Hand deliver your Answer to the court clerk or mail it. Mail the copy to the plaintiff or their attorney too.

Use certified or express mail if mailing. Recipients must sign for delivery. You receive confirmation of delivery. You can prove you filed before the deadline.

Cutting it close to the deadline? Use overnight mail service.

Statute of Limitations on Debt in Maine

Maine limits how long you can be sued for debt. The statute of limitations on debt is six years in Maine. The clock starts from your last action on the account.

Debts older than six years cannot be sued in court. If your debt passed Maine’s statute of limitations, use this as an affirmative defense.

However, the statute of limitations on a judgment is 20 years in Maine. If you are sued and lose, collectors get 20 years to collect.

Statute of Limitations on Different Debt Types

Get Debt Relief in Maine

Responding to a lawsuit before the deadline avoids default judgments. But it does not solve your debt problem.

No single solution wipes out all debt. However, you have several options for debt relief in Maine. You might qualify for state financial assistance, debt consolidation loans, or other credit lines.

You can also create your own debt payoff strategy. If your total debt exceeds what you could pay given your finances, declaring bankruptcy might be an option.

Apply for State-Sponsored Programs

Maine offers more assistance programs than many states. Assistance programs will not directly pay your debts. But when you have help paying utility bills, food, housing, and medical care, you can put those funds toward debt.

Consider these Maine programs:

• Maine General Assistance: Helps low-income individuals afford basic expenses like rent and medical supplies
• MaineHousing: Helps low-income people afford rent and mortgages
• Maine Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Helps low-income individuals and families afford heating
• Maine Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Offers families temporary cash assistance with job training and education
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Helps supplement food budgets for low-income people

Programs are generally only available with low income. Each program has its own eligibility criteria.

Consider Debt Consolidation Loans

Debt consolidation loans work similarly to personal loans. If approved, funds go directly to your bank account. You use them to pay off medical bills, credit cards, or other debts.

Instead of several smaller monthly payments, you make a single larger payment.

Most lenders require at least fair credit for approval. Look closely at loan terms before accepting.

For this strategy to work, the loan must have a lower interest rate than your debts. Higher interest rates mean you pay more over time.

Home Equity Loans and HELOCs

Own your home? Your existing equity might help you pay off debt faster. Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are secured by your home. They tend to have very low interest rates.

A HELOC is a revolving line of credit like a credit card. A home equity loan is a traditional installment loan.

Either one can refinance your debt. Make sure you can pay it back. If you default, the lender can take possession of your house and sell it.

Create a Personal Debt Payoff Strategy

Unless you refinanced all remaining debt with a HELOC, home equity loan, or debt consolidation loan, you need a strategy for paying off the rest.

Having a plan reduces anxiety about getting out of debt. It helps you pay off debt faster. You pay less in interest over time.

Design your strategy any way you like. Consider two popular debt repayment strategies: the avalanche and the snowball.

With the avalanche strategy, start by paying off your highest-interest debts. With the snowball strategy, start by paying off your smallest debts.

Consider Filing for Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is usually a last resort. Chapter 7 bankruptcy eliminates most debts. But it substantially lowers your credit score. It stays on your report for 10 years.

Many lenders will not issue credit after a recent bankruptcy. Many landlords turn away applicants who recently declared bankruptcy.

Filing for bankruptcy is complex. Deciding whether to file is an incredibly important decision. Think bankruptcy is an option? Consult with a bankruptcy attorney first.

Consider Settling Your Debt

Cannot afford to pay a debt in full? Consider offering to settle with the creditor. Settling a debt lowers your credit score somewhat. But it will not impact it nearly as much as declaring bankruptcy or having a judgment against you.

Settle Debt in Maine

For debt collectors, a wage garnishment is an absolute last resort. It costs money to hire a lawyer and go to court. Make a reasonable settlement offer beforehand and they will almost certainly take it.

You can settle a debt lawsuit at any point while the lawsuit is active. Wait too long and the court may issue a final ruling before you reach a settlement agreement.

If the court rules in favor of the creditor or collector, they can garnish your wages. They can possibly even take money from your bank account.

You might be able to offer to settle at this point. But in nearly every case, a creditor or collector will not settle for less than the original debt.

Check the Status of Your Court Case in Maine

Getting a notice of a lawsuit is distressing. The stress does not end there. You need to file an Answer on time. But if you miss a hearing or another important date, the court can still enter a default judgment against you.

Keep track of your lawsuit by knowing how to access your court records. It is fairly simple to access court records online and check your court case status in Maine.

Check Your Case Records Online

Find some cases using Maine eCourt’s Public Portal. You must first make an account. Here is how:

• Visit the eCourt Odyssey Portal and complete a registration form
• Click the registration verification link sent to your email inbox
• After verifying your email, sign in to the portal
• When asked for the kind of access you need, select “party”
• Search by your case number if you have it and your name if you do not

Without your case number, you might sort through many results. Add case type, filing date, and other filters to narrow search results.

Check Your Case Records in Person

Cannot find your records online? Look up your local court and choose a time to visit.

Obtain your case number, the date and time of your next hearing, and other information from the clerk on duty. You should be able to get copies of your case records. Courts usually charge something to print them.

Whether you intend to prove you do not owe the debt or plan to settle, knowing all relevant dates and deadlines is important.

Stop Wage Garnishment in Maine

If the creditor or collector wins the case and you get a judgment against you, the court gives them access to collection tools. With a judgment, a creditor can usually collect debts in a few ways:

• Garnishing your wages
• Taking money out of your bank account
• Seizing and selling eligible property

Of these tools, wage garnishment is used most frequently. Your employer must set aside a portion of each paycheck to give to the creditor.

An employer cannot legally fire you just for having a garnishment. But having people at your job know about your garnishment can be embarrassing.

A wage garnishment takes a significant portion of your paycheck. If you are already having trouble paying bills, a garnishment makes a difficult situation even more stressful.

Maine restricts wage garnishments more than federal laws do. Under Maine law, your weekly garnishments cannot exceed the lesser of these:

• The disposable income you have left after subtracting 40 times the state minimum wage ($13.80)
• 25% of your disposable income

How can you stop wage garnishment? Unfortunately, once you have one, it is nearly impossible to stop. The best way to stop wage garnishment in Maine is to prevent it from happening in the first place.

You have plenty of opportunities to stop wage garnishment before it starts:

• When a creditor or collector first reaches out about a debt, contact them to set up a payment plan or negotiate a settlement
• If you are sued for a debt, file an Answer and then negotiate a settlement
• If the lawsuit is already underway, try to negotiate a settlement or pay the debt in full before the lawsuit ends

Maine Legal Aid Organizations

Even if you think you have everything under control, getting attorney advice before proceeding is a good idea. If you cannot afford legal services, every state has at least one government-funded organization that provides free legal services.

Maine has one free legal service: Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Inc.

Take Action Against Your Maine Debt Lawsuit

Even though you are being sued by a debt collector, you are never without rights. When you receive a Summons and Complaint, protect those rights by responding with a formal court-filed Answer.

Your Answer document does not have to be complicated. But it does need to be in a certain format and include specific information and responses.

The steps to filing your Answer are:

1. Answer each Complaint by paragraph number
2. State your Affirmative Defenses
3. File with the court and send a copy to the plaintiff’s attorney

Remember: the statute of limitations on debt is six years in Maine.

Our partner Solo makes developing your Maine Answer as easy as filling in the blanks and checking a few boxes. Their software walks you through the entire process.

You can fight back against debt collectors. File your Answer and protect your rights.