California’s Judicial Council form PLD-050 is the one-page general denial a defendant files to dispute every allegation in a civil complaint and force the plaintiff to prove each one. You check a single box, add any affirmative defenses, sign, then serve and file the form within 30 days of being served with the summons and complaint. Miss that window and the plaintiff can take a default judgment against you.
Whether Your Case Qualifies for a General Denial
Not every lawsuit can be answered with PLD-050. Two things decide it: whether the complaint is verified, and how much money is at stake.
- Unverified complaint, any amount: a general denial works regardless of the dollar amount.
- Verified complaint, limited civil case ($35,000 or less): a general denial is still available.
- Any complaint where the demand or property value is $1,000 or less (not counting interest): the law requires you to use this Judicial Council form, and it does not need to be verified by you.1California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 431-40
The exception that catches people: if the complaint is verified and involves a debt over $1,000 that was assigned to a third-party collector, you cannot use a general denial even in a limited civil case. You have to file a specific denial that addresses each allegation individually.2California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 431-30
To check whether the complaint is verified, flip to the last page and look for a verification statement signed under penalty of perjury. If the complaint is verified and the case is an unlimited civil matter (over $35,000), PLD-050 is not available. You will need a verified answer responding to each allegation point by point.
Filling Out PLD-050
Download the current version from the California Courts website.3Judicial Council of California. California Code of Civil Procedure – General Denial The form is short, but small errors can throw off the clerk’s ability to match your response to the file and cost you time you may not have.
Header
The top-left block is your name, mailing address, and telephone number (or your attorney’s, if you have one). The top-right block takes the court name and address, the case number, and the plaintiff and defendant names. Copy every detail from the summons and complaint exactly, including spelling and the case number.
The Denial Itself
Item 1 does the work of the entire form. Print your name in the blank and check the box stating that you generally deny each and every allegation of the plaintiff’s complaint. That single checkmark puts every claim at issue. You do not have to explain the denial or respond to allegations one by one.
Affirmative Defenses
Item 2 is where you list affirmative defenses: separate legal reasons the plaintiff should lose even if their allegations are true. Nothing forces you to list any, but a defense you leave out here can be waived. Common ones in California civil cases include:
- Statute of limitations: the plaintiff waited too long to sue.
- Failure to state a cause of action: the allegations, even if true, do not amount to a legal claim.
- Res judicata: the same dispute was already decided.
- Laches: unreasonable delay by the plaintiff prejudiced you, for example by causing lost evidence.
- Failure to mitigate damages: the plaintiff did not take reasonable steps to limit their own losses.
- Offset: the plaintiff owes you money or failed to credit a payment, reducing what you owe.
If your defenses do not fit in the space provided, attach additional pages and write “See attached” in Item 2.4California Courts. Using Affirmative Defenses if Youre Sued
Signature
At the bottom, print your name, date it, and sign. Your signature is made under penalty of perjury.
Claims of Your Own: File a Cross-Complaint Now
The form itself carries a warning worth taking seriously. If you have your own claim against the plaintiff, California law may require you to bring it as a cross-complaint in this same lawsuit or lose it.5California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 428-10 If you were rear-ended and the other driver sues you for their injuries, any claim you have for your own injuries from that collision generally has to go in as a cross-complaint. You can file a cross-complaint alongside your general denial, but you need to address it before your answer deadline runs.
Serving and Filing the Form
You have to serve the general denial on the plaintiff and file it with the court, both within the 30-day window.
Who Serves It, and How
Someone other than you has to deliver the papers. The server must be at least 18 and cannot be a party to the case. A friend, relative, coworker, or professional process server all qualify.6California Courts. Serving Court Papers
Service by first-class mail is the most common method for an answer. The person who mails the documents fills out and signs the proof of service. Use Form POS-030 for mail service or POS-020 for personal delivery.7Judicial Council of California. Proof of Service by First-Class Mail – Civil
Electronic service is also available. Represented parties are required to accept it. An unrepresented plaintiff can only be served electronically if they have expressly consented, either by filing notice with the court or through the court’s e-filing system.8California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 1010-6
Filing With the Court
After service, take the original general denial and the signed proof of service to the clerk’s office for filing. Many California counties now offer or require electronic filing in civil cases; where e-filing is mandatory, you submit through an approved e-filing service provider. Self-represented litigants are exempt from mandatory e-filing but may still choose it. Ask for a file-stamped copy for your records once the clerk accepts the filing. That stamped copy is your proof you responded on time.9California Courts. Serve Your Answer
Filing Fees
California charges a filing fee for the first paper a defendant files, based on the amount at stake. As of January 1, 2026:
- $225 when the amount in dispute is $10,000 or less.
- $370 when the amount is over $10,000 up to $35,000.
- $435 when the amount exceeds $35,000 (unlimited civil case).
Fees run slightly higher in Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Francisco counties due to local courthouse construction surcharges.10Superior Court of California. Statewide Civil Fee Schedule
If you cannot afford the fee, request a waiver by submitting Form FW-001 with your answer. You qualify if you receive certain public benefits, your income falls below the threshold, or you lack income to cover both basic household needs and court costs. The court may ask for documentation or hold a hearing to verify the request.11Judicial Council of California. Information Sheet on Waiver of Superior Court Fees and Costs
The 30-Day Deadline and What Missing It Costs
You have 30 calendar days from the date of service to file your response. Weekends and court holidays count, but if the last day falls on a day the court is closed, the deadline rolls to the next business day.12Superior Court of California, County of Orange. I Have Been Sued – Civil
If both sides agree, you can get one 15-day extension beyond the 30 days without asking the court. Anything longer requires a stipulation on file or a court order.
Miss the deadline and the plaintiff can ask the clerk to enter your default, a formal finding that you failed to respond. Once your default is entered, you can no longer participate in the case. In a straightforward contract action for a specific dollar amount, the clerk can enter a default judgment right away. In other cases, the court holds a prove-up hearing where the plaintiff presents evidence and the judge awards damages based solely on what the plaintiff shows.13California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 585
Setting Aside a Default
If a default or default judgment is already entered, you can move to set it aside under Code of Civil Procedure Section 473. The court can grant relief if the default resulted from mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect. File the motion within a reasonable time, and in no event later than six months after the default was entered. Attach a copy of the proposed answer you plan to file if relief is granted; without it, the court will deny the motion.14California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 473
When the default was caused by your attorney’s mistake rather than your own, the statute requires the court to vacate it if the motion is filed within six months and includes a sworn affidavit from the attorney taking responsibility. Attorney-caused defaults get more favorable treatment than ones where the defendant simply forgot or chose not to respond.