UJS-278 Form South Dakota: How to Fill Out a Small Claims Denial

Form UJS-278 is the official way a defendant responds to a small claims case in South Dakota. It handles denials, partial admissions, and counterclaims all on one form — but the UJS website offers it as a blank PDF with minimal instructions, which leaves most people guessing.

Where to Get the Form

Download UJS-278 directly from the South Dakota Unified Judicial System's small claims forms page, or generate it through the Guide and File online interview tool. Guide and File asks you questions and produces a completed, printable version. Either way, you'll need to print, sign, and deliver the form to the clerk of courts — the online tool does not file electronically for small claims.

Filling Out the Header

Match the case caption exactly to the plaintiff's Statement of Claim (Form UJS-008). This means the same judicial circuit number, county name, and court case number. Getting any of these wrong can cause the clerk to reject your filing or create a mismatch in the court record.

List both parties with current contact information: the plaintiff's name and address as shown on UJS-008, and your own current mailing address and phone number.

The Denial Section

This is where you explain why you dispute the claim. Be factual and specific — "I don't owe this money" is weaker than "The contractor billed $6,000 for roofing work, but abandoned the project after completing only the tear-off. I paid $2,000 on May 3 by check #4217 for the completed portion."

You can deny the entire claim or admit part of it and contest the rest. If you're admitting a portion, specify the exact dollar amount you agree you owe and explain why the remainder is disputed.

Adding a Counterclaim

If the plaintiff owes you money from the same dispute or a different one, the counterclaim section lets you state your own claim against them. Include the specific dollar amount and the facts supporting it.

Counterclaims are capped at $12,000 in small claims court. If yours exceeds that, you can waive the excess to stay in small claims or petition to transfer the entire case to the regular civil docket — though that requires a separate process with a $35 fee and $250 deposit.

Filing a counterclaim carries a fee based on the amount you're claiming. Filing a basic denial with no counterclaim is free.

Printing and Formatting Rules

South Dakota courts enforce strict formatting: print single-sided on standard 8.5×11 paper in black ink only. Double-sided printing or colored ink can get your filing rejected at the clerk's counter.

Sign the form under penalty of perjury or have it notarized, as the form instructions direct.

Filing and Serving

Submit UJS-278 to the clerk of courts in the county where the case was filed. You can deliver it in person, mail it (filing is effective when the clerk receives and dockets it, not on your postmark date), or use e-filing where authorized for self-represented parties.

You must also serve a copy on the plaintiff. Keep a timestamped receipt from the clerk and proof of service for your records.

The form must be filed by the date on the clerk's notice — not by any other deadline the plaintiff may have suggested. Missing this date can result in a default judgment.

For a field-by-field walkthrough of UJS-278 with examples for different dispute types, see the South Dakota Small Claims Response Guide.

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