How to Fill Out Form SC-3 in Alaska Small Claims Court

What Form SC-3 Is and When You Need It

Form SC-3 is the official Alaska court form titled "Answer, Counterclaim, Request for Change of Place of Trial." It's the document you file when someone has served you with a small claims lawsuit and you want to respond. The court provides it blank in your service packet alongside the Complaint (Form SC-1), the Summons (Form SC-2), and the Information Sheet (Form SC-95).

Filing Form SC-3 is how you tell the court your side. It's also the form that records your consent to small claims procedures — by submitting it, you agree to proceed under the informal small claims rules rather than formal District Court civil rules. All parties must agree to use the small claims procedure. If you want formal rules instead (full discovery, formal evidence standards, jury trial), you'd skip Form SC-3 entirely and file a formal written answer requesting Part I rules.

You must file this form within 20 calendar days for in-state service in Alaska. If you are served outside the United States, the response period is 40 calendar days. If you are served elsewhere in the United States, check the deadline on your Summons. There is no filing fee for an answer or counterclaim in small claims court.

Completing the Case Caption

The top section of Form SC-3 mirrors the information already printed on your Summons and Complaint. Copy it exactly:

• Court location — the specific district court listed on your Summons (e.g., "District Court for the State of Alaska at Anchorage")
• Case number — the alphanumeric string from your paperwork (e.g., 3AN-26-01234SC)
• Party names — list the plaintiff and yourself as defendant exactly as shown on the Complaint

Getting the case number wrong can cause processing delays, so double-check it against your original papers.

Section 1: Your Response to the Claim

This is where you choose how to respond. The form gives you space to:

Deny all or part of the claim. If you dispute what the plaintiff says, check the appropriate box and explain your position. Be specific — rather than writing "I disagree," state what actually happened. If you have a written contract, attach a copy.

Admit the claim. If you agree you owe the money, check the admission box. You can still request a payment plan by filing Form SC-18 (Stipulation to Pay Judgment in Installments) separately.

File a counterclaim. If the plaintiff owes you money from the same dispute, describe what they owe and how much, up to $10,000. For example, a homeowner sued for an unpaid invoice might counterclaim for the cost of fixing defective work. Attaching supporting documents (receipts, estimates, photos) strengthens your position.

After service of your counterclaim, the plaintiff has 10 days to file a written request for formal court rules and a reply. If the plaintiff does not request formal rules within that window, the counterclaim is deemed denied and the case proceeds to a small claims hearing.

Section 2: Change of Venue

If the plaintiff filed in a court location that's unnecessarily far from you, check the venue transfer box and name the court location you'd prefer. This is particularly relevant in Alaska, where someone in Fairbanks might get sued in an Anchorage court. The judge reviews your request and decides whether the transfer is warranted.

Section 3: Track Election

By completing and filing Form SC-3, you consent to proceed under small claims rules. This means relaxed evidence standards, no formal discovery, and no jury trial. The judge or magistrate will run an informal hearing where both sides present their case.

If you'd rather have formal court procedures, don't file Form SC-3. Instead, file a separate formal written answer requesting the case proceed under Part I of the District Court Rules of Civil Procedure. No extra filing fee applies for the transfer, but formal rules bring formal evidence requirements and potentially higher attorney fee exposure under Civil Rule 82.

Contact Information and Signature

At the bottom of the form, provide your current mailing address, phone number, and sign the form physically. If you include an email address, you're consenting to receive court orders and service of documents electronically — useful if you want faster communication but worth knowing before you write it down.

Complete the Certificate of Service section after you've mailed or delivered a copy to the plaintiff. You must serve the plaintiff (or their attorney) with a copy of everything you file.

Filing Your Completed Form

You can file in person at the clerk's counter, by mail (the form must arrive — not just be postmarked — by the applicable deadline), or electronically through TrueFiling. TrueFiling accepts uploads until 11:59 PM Alaska Time and charges a non-refundable vendor processing fee upon submission.

The Responding to a Small Claims Case in Alaska guide includes a field-by-field walkthrough of Form SC-3 with decision flowcharts for each section, so you can work through it confidently without second-guessing which boxes to check.

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