Dispute Note Alberta Civil Claim: How to Respond When You Are Sued

You Have Been Served with a Civil Claim — Now What

A process server or registered letter just delivered a Civil Claim (Form CTS1461) from the Alberta Court of Justice. The initial wave of anxiety is normal, but the single most important thing right now is the calendar. You have a hard deadline to respond, and missing it hands the other side a default judgment — potentially for the full amount they asked for, plus interest and costs.

Your response document is called a Dispute Note (Form CTS1924). This is the Alberta Court of Justice equivalent of filing a defence. Filing a Dispute Note without a counterclaim costs $50, and it preserves your right to tell your side of the story.

Your Response Deadline

The clock starts the day after you were served, and the length depends on where you received the documents:

If the last day falls on a weekend or court holiday, the deadline extends to 4:00 PM on the next business day the registry is open. Do not rely on this extension for planning — file well before the final day.

How to Fill Out the Dispute Note

Form CTS1924 is straightforward compared to the claim itself. You need:

• The court file number from the stamped Civil Claim you received
• Your full legal name and current address for service
• A written response to the claimant's allegations — state which facts you admit, which you deny, and why

Keep your response factual. You are not writing a legal argument or citing case law. State what happened from your perspective: "The claimant agreed to the delay in writing on March 15, 2026" is stronger than "The claimant's allegations are false."

If you believe the claimant owes you money arising from the same situation, you can file a Counterclaim with your Dispute Note. The fee is $100 for a counterclaim valued at $7,500 or less, or $150 for one valued over $7,500 and up to $100,000. The court clerk sends the filed Dispute Note and Counterclaim to the parties already in the case; you must serve any new party you add.

Where to File

File the completed Dispute Note at any Alberta Court of Justice registry; the court recommends using the location shown on the Civil Claim you received. You can file in person or by mail. Keep a stamped copy for your records.

The $50 filing fee applies to a Dispute Note without a counterclaim. The registry clerk will check that the form is complete but cannot advise you on what to write or whether your defence is strong.

What Happens After You File

Once your Dispute Note is on file, the court clerk sends it to the other parties and the court decides how the action will proceed. The action may be selected for mediation. If it is not selected for mediation or does not settle there, the court may schedule a Pre-Trial Conference (PTC); if it does not settle at a PTC, it may proceed to a Simplified Trial, Trial, or Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution. Follow the court's notice for the next step and any required forms.

What If You Do Nothing

If you let the applicable 20-day period for service in Alberta or 30-day period for service outside Alberta pass without filing, the claimant can apply for a default judgment. For a claim based on a fixed dollar amount (an unpaid invoice, a deposit), a Judicial Clerk can issue the judgment without a hearing. For claims involving unliquidated damages, a Justice holds an assessment hearing — but only the claimant presents evidence, because you forfeited your right to participate.

A default judgment is enforceable immediately. The claimant can garnish wages, seize bank accounts, or register the judgment against your property.

You can apply to set aside a default judgment, but you will need to show a reasonable excuse for missing the deadline and a defence with some prospect of success. It is far simpler to file the Dispute Note on time.

Get the Full Alberta Civil Claim Process

Whether you are the one suing or the one being sued, the procedural steps are identical — forms, fees, service rules, evidence prep, and hearing procedure. Our Alberta Civil Claim Guide covers every stage from the demand letter through collecting (or paying) the judgment, with deadline tracking and form-by-form instructions.

See more Alberta guides →