Respondent's Original Answer Form – Fill Out and Use This PDF

NOTICE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS SENSITIVE DATA.

Cause No.

Print court information exactly as it appears on the Original Petition for Divorce

In the Matter of the Marriage of	In the ______________
	(Court Number)

Respondent’s Original Answer

WARNING to Respondent: Without the advice and help of a lawyer, you may be putting yourself, your property and your money at risk. For a referral to a lawyer or free legal aid office, call the State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Information Service at 800-252-9690. If you are a victim of family violence, or if at any time you feel unsafe, you can get confidential help from the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or legal help from the Texas Advocacy Project Family Violence Legal Line at 800-374-4673.

WARNING to Out-of-State Respondent: Filing an Answer with the Court enters your appearance in this case. Talk to a lawyer before filing an Answer if you 1) do not live in Texas and 2) do not want a Texas court to have the power to make orders that would impose a personal obligation on you. Such orders could include orders dividing your property and debts and (if requested by your spouse) ordering you to pay spousal support, court costs, and attorney’s fees. If you file an Answer (or any pleading) before filing a Special Appearance, you will give up your right to argue that Texas can’t make such orders because you live out of state. Ask a Texas attorney to help you determine if Texas has personal jurisdiction over you.

INSTRUCTIONS to Respondent: If you decide to use this form:

●Do not sign it until at least one day after the Original Petition for Divorce has been filed (turned in to the court). Your spouse should have given you a copy of the Original Petition for Divorce. The official court stamp on your copy will tell you when it was filed.

●Fill out this form completely.

●File (turn in) the original signed form to the court where your spouse filed the Original Petition for Divorce. Keep a copy for your records. Give a copy to your spouse.

●Get additional information about divorce at www.TexasLawHelp.org.

Print your answers.

My name is: ____________________________________________________________________.

	First	Middle		Last
I am the Respondent in this divorce case.
The last three numbers of my driver’s license number are: ___			___	___. My driver’s license was
issued in (State) ________________________.
or	I do not have a driver’s license number.
The last three numbers of my social security number are: ___			___	___.
or	I do not have a social security number
FM-DivAD-102 Respondent’s Original Answer [SET A or SET D] (Rev. 09-2021)				Page 1 of 4
© TexasLawHelp.org

1. General Denial

I enter a general denial. I want to be notified of all hearings in this case.

But, if my spouse and I reach an agreement and I sign a Final Decree of Divorce, I agree that the Judge can finalize this case without my getting notice of the hearing and without my coming to Court.

2. Contact Information

My mailing address is: ___________________________________________________________.

Mailing AddressCityState Zip

My email address is: ____________________________________________________________.

My phone number is: ________________________________________________.

I understand that I must notify the Court and my spouse’s attorney or my spouse (if my spouse does not have an attorney) in writing if my mailing address or email address changes during these divorce proceedings.

I understand that, unless I notify the Court, my spouse’s attorney or my spouse (if my spouse does not have an attorney) in writing of changes to my mailing address and email address, all information about this case, including the date and time of hearings, will be sent to me at the mailing address or email address on this form.

3. Discovery level

The discovery level in this case, if needed, is: (Check one box.)

Level 1. (Check here if you and your spouse have more than $0 and less than $250,000 in property.) Level 2. (All other couples check here.)

Check only if applicable.

This is an action involving domestic violence and is exempt from the initial disclosure requirement under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 193.2(d)(7).

4. Separate Property

I own the following separate property. I owned this property before I was married, or I received this property as a gift or inheritance during my marriage, or I received this property as recovery for personal injuries sustained during my marriage (not including any recovery for loss of earning capacity during my marriage). I ask the Court to confirm this property as my separate property in my Final Decree of Divorce.

1.	House or land located at: _______________________________________________________.
				street address		city		state	ZIP
2.	Cars, trucks, motorcycles, mobile homes or other vehicles
		Year		Make		Model		Vehicle Identification No. [VIN]

FM-DivAD-102 Respondent’s Original Answer [SET A or SET D] (Rev. 09-2021)	Page 2 of 4
© TexasLawHelp.org

3.Other property I owned before I was married or received as a gift or inheritance during my marriage (describe):

4.Money I received as recovery for personal injuries sustained during my marriage (not including any recovery for loss of earning capacity during my marriage) (describe):

5.Name Change

(Check one.)

I am NOT asking the court to change my name.

I ask the Court to change my name back to:

________________________________________________________________________________.

First

Middle

Last

This is a name I have used before.

I am not asking the court to change my name to avoid criminal prosecution or to avoid payment of debt.

6. Request for Judgment

I ask the Court for general relief.

Complete the information below.

_____________________________________________	_________________________________
Respondent’s Signature	Date
______________________________________________	_________________________________
Respondent’s Printed Name	Phone Number

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address	City	State	ZIP
___________________________________________________	_____________________________________
Email Address	Fax number (if available)

FM-DivAD-102 Respondent’s Original Answer [SET A or SET D] (Rev. 09-2021)	Page 3 of 4
© TexasLawHelp.org

7. Certificate of Service

I will give a copy of this document to my spouse’s attorney or my spouse (if my spouse does not have an attorney) on the same day this document is filed with (turned in to) the Court as follows:

If I file this document electronically, I will send a copy of it to my spouse or my spouse’s attorney through the electronic file manager if possible. If not possible, I will give a copy to my spouse or my spouse’s attorney in person, by mail, by commercial delivery service, by fax, or by email.

If I file a paper copy of this document, I will give a copy of it to my spouse or my spouse’s attorney in person, by mail, by commercial delivery service, by fax, or by email.


Respondent’s Signature	Date

FM-DivAD-102 Respondent’s Original Answer [SET A or SET D] (Rev. 09-2021)	Page 4 of 4
© TexasLawHelp.org