Rules of Court · Part 8 · New Jersey
R. 8:4-3 New Jersey Rules of Court, R. 8:4-3: Time for Filing Responsive Pleadings, rendered as code with every cross-reference linked
Time for Filing Responsive Pleadings
The time for filing of all pleadings other than the complaint, including answers to complaints filed under the Correction of Errors Law, N.J.S.A. 54:51A-7, shall be as prescribed by R. 4:6-1 and subject to R. 1:3-3 provided that:
(a) All counterclaims in a direct appeal of a local property tax matter pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:3-21 shall be filed on or before April 1, unless the petition of appeal or complaint is filed on April 1 or during the 19 days next preceding April 1, in which case a taxpayer of a taxing district shall have 20 days from the date of service of the complaint to file a counterclaim.
(b) In a state tax matter (other than small claims cases) an answer to a complaint, counterclaim or crossclaim shall be served within 60 days after service of the complaint, counterclaim or crossclaim, as the case may be.
(c) In small claims state tax cases under R. 8:11, an answer is optional and need not be filed. If an answer is filed, it must be filed within 60 days after service of the complaint, counterclaim, or crossclaim.
(d) In any state tax matter, the time to answer a complaint may be extended for a period not exceeding 60 days by written consent of the parties, which written consent shall be filed with the answer within said extension period. Further enlargements of the time to answer shall be allowed only on notice by court order, on good cause shown therefor.
(e) The time periods prescribed in paragraphs (b), (c), or (d) of this rule are altered by the filing and service of a motion under R. 4:6 or a motion for summary judgment under R. 4:46 or R. 4:69-2 as follows: (1) if the motion is denied in whole or in part or its disposition is postponed until trial, the answer shall be filed and served within 10 days after notice of the court’s action; (2) if a motion for a more definite statement is granted, the answer shall be filed and served within 10 days after the service of such statement.
Note: Adopted June 20, 1979 to be effective July 1, 1979; amended July 16, 1981 to be effective September 14, 1981; amended November 7, 1988 to be effective January 2, 1989; paragraph (a) amended July 14, 1992 to be effective September 1, 1992; initial paragraph amended August 1, 2016 to be effective September 1, 2016; initial paragraph amended and paragraph (a) amended July 27, 2018 to be effective September 1, 2018; paragraph (b) amended July 31, 2020 to be effective September 1, 2020; new paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) adopted July 23, 2026 to be effective September 1, 2026.
Verbatim rule text, unmarked. Nothing here is a summary.
rule 8:4-3 "Time for Filing Responsive Pleadings" {
The time for filing of all pleadings other than the complaint, including answers to complaints filed under the Correction of Errors Law, N.J.S.A. 54:51A-7, shall be as prescribed by R. 4:6-1 and subject to R. 1:3-3 provided that:
(a) All counterclaims in a direct appeal of a local property tax matter pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:3-21 shall be filed on or before April 1, unless the petition of appeal or complaint is filed on April 1 or during the 19 days next preceding April 1, in which case a taxpayer of a taxing district shall have 20 days from the date of service of the complaint to file a counterclaim.
(b) In a state tax matter (other than small claims cases) an answer to a complaint, counterclaim or crossclaim shall be served within 60 days after service of the complaint, counterclaim or crossclaim, as the case may be.
(c) In small claims state tax cases under R. 8:11, an answer is optional and need not be filed. If an answer is filed, it must be filed within 60 days after service of the complaint, counterclaim, or crossclaim.
(d) In any state tax matter, the time to answer a complaint may be extended for a period not exceeding 60 days by written consent of the parties, which written consent shall be filed with the answer within said extension period. Further enlargements of the time to answer shall be allowed only on notice by court order, on good cause shown therefor.
(e) The time periods prescribed in paragraphs (b), (c), or (d) of this rule are altered by the filing and service of a motion under R. 4:6 or a motion for summary judgment under R. 4:46 or R. 4:69-2 as follows: (1) if the motion is denied in whole or in part or its disposition is postponed until trial, the answer shall be filed and served within 10 days after notice of the court’s action; (2) if a motion for a more definite statement is granted, the answer shall be filed and served within 10 days after the service of such statement.
Note: Adopted June 20, 1979 to be effective July 1, 1979; amended July 16, 1981 to be effective September 14, 1981; amended November 7, 1988 to be effective January 2, 1989; paragraph (a) amended July 14, 1992 to be effective September 1, 1992; initial paragraph amended August 1, 2016 to be effective September 1, 2016; initial paragraph amended and paragraph (a) amended July 27, 2018 to be effective September 1, 2018; paragraph (b) amended July 31, 2020 to be effective September 1, 2020; new paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) adopted July 23, 2026 to be effective September 1, 2026.
}
referenced_by: none
amended: 2026-09-02 // changed; first diff after the 2026-08-17 corpus; amendments effective 2026-09-01
source: njcourts.gov // verbatim; changed 2026-08-31; corpus harvested 2026-09-02← R. 8:4-2 · chapter 8:4 · all rules
The Rules of Court are a government edict and carry no copyright; the text above is the Judiciary’s own publication, unchanged. Structure, links and highlighting are ours and carry no legal weight. Read the rule on njcourts.gov before you rely on it; amendments take effect each September 1.