Maine State Court Answer and General Denial

STATE OF MAINE — [SUPERIOR / DISTRICT] COURT

DEFENDANT'S ANSWER AND GENERAL DENIAL

Before filing: Compare this answer with every allegation in the complaint and any prior Rule 12 motion. Rule 8(d) treats an allegation requiring a response, other than a damages amount, as admitted if it is not denied. Check the actual summons, service date, court orders, Rule 12(a) response period, Rule 13(a) counterclaim exceptions, and any Superior Court jury demand and fee deadline under Rule 38. Delete choices that do not apply.

Defendant [DEFENDANT NAME] answers the Complaint served on [DATE] as follows:

I. RESPONSES TO THE COMPLAINT

1. Select one response method and complete it:

☐ Good faith general denial (Me. R. Civ. P. 8(b)). Defendant in good faith controverts every averment of the Complaint and denies each averment.

☐ Denial except express admissions (Me. R. Civ. P. 8(b)). Defendant admits only the following averments or portions of averments: [COMPLAINT PARAGRAPHS AND EXACT ADMISSIONS]. Defendant denies every other averment of the Complaint.

☐ Specific responses. Defendant responds to every numbered paragraph and any unnumbered allegation in the Complaint in the schedule below. Attach additional numbered responses as needed.

2. If Defendant lacks knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief about an allegation, Defendant states that position for the identified allegation in the schedule above; Rule 8(b) gives that statement the effect of a denial.

II. DEFENSES

3. Defendant asserts only the following defenses, each supported by the facts stated here. Add numbered defenses as needed and remove unused slots.

Defense 1 — [NAME AND LEGAL BASIS]: [FACTS SUPPORTING THIS DEFENSE].

Defense 2 — [NAME AND LEGAL BASIS]: [FACTS SUPPORTING THIS DEFENSE].

4. Defendant asserts the following Rule 12(b) objections, if available and preserved under Rule 12(g)-(h): [SPECIFIC OBJECTION, PRIOR MOTION HISTORY, AND FACTS / NONE].

III. COUNTERCLAIM, IF ASSERTED

5. Select one:

☐ Defendant asserts no counterclaim in this Answer after reviewing Me. R. Civ. P. 13(a), including its statutory, motor vehicle, pending action, and attachment exceptions and any District Court jurisdiction issue.

☐ Defendant asserts the following counterclaim against [OPPOSING PARTY], within this Court's subject matter jurisdiction. Add a separate count for each additional claim.

Counterclaim Count 1 — [CLAIM NAME]

6. [SHORT AND PLAIN FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS, NUMBERED AS NEEDED].

7. [FACTS SHOWING ENTITLEMENT TO RELIEF AND APPLICABLE AUTHORITY].

8. Defendant requests judgment on this counterclaim for [SPECIFIC RELIEF AND AMOUNT, IF ANY], together with [OTHER RELIEF SUPPORTED BY LAW OR CONTRACT].

IV. JURY DEMAND — SUPERIOR COURT ONLY

9. Select one after checking Me. R. Civ. P. 38(b)-(d), the scheduling order, and any required fee:

☐ Defendant demands a jury trial on these issues triable of right by a jury: [ALL SUCH ISSUES / SPECIFY ISSUES].

☐ Defendant makes no jury demand in this Answer.

V. REQUEST FOR RELIEF

Defendant asks the Court to enter judgment on the Complaint in Defendant's favor to the extent supported by the pleaded responses and defenses; award costs or attorney fees only upon an identified legal or contractual basis [BASIS / DELETE]; grant relief on any counterclaim pleaded above; and grant other relief the Court finds proper.

Dated: [DATE]

SERVICE RECORD

I served this Answer on [DATE] upon [NAME OF COUNSEL OR UNREPRESENTED PARTY] at [ADDRESS / COURT-KNOWN EMAIL ADDRESS] by [HAND DELIVERY / RULE 5(b) ELECTRONIC SERVICE TO ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT / REGULAR MAIL / OTHER AUTHORIZED METHOD].

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Current Maine Rules of Civil Procedure (effective June 1, 2026): https://www.courts.maine.gov/rules/text/mr_civ_p_only_2026-06-01.pdf
• Maine Judicial Branch civil rules index: https://www.courts.maine.gov/rules/rules-civil.html