Us Code § 383 - Response of contestee
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 383 — Response of contestee, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 383. Response of contestee
(a) Answer
Any contestee upon whom a notice of contest as described in section 382 of this title shall be served, shall, within thirty days after the service thereof, serve upon contestant a written answer to such notice, admitting or denying the averments upon which contestant relies. If contestee is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of an averment, he shall so state and this shall have the effect of a denial. Such answer shall set forth affirmatively any other defenses, in law or fact, on which contestee relies. Contestee shall sign and verify such answer by oath or affirmation.
(b) Defenses by motion prior to answer
At the option of contestee, the following defenses may be made by motion served upon contestant prior to contestee's answer:
(1) Insufficiency of service of notice of contest.
(2) Lack of standing of contestant.
(3) Failure of notice of contest to state grounds sufficient to change result of election.
(4) Failure of contestant to claim right to contestee's seat.
(c) Motion for more definite statement
If a notice of contest to which an answer is required is so vague or ambiguous that the contestee cannot reasonably be required to frame a responsive answer, he may move for a more definite statement before interposing his answer. The motion shall point out the defects complained of and the details desired. If the motion is granted and the order of the committee is not obeyed within ten days after notice of the order or within such other time as the committee may fix, the committee may dismiss the action, or make such order as it deems just.
(d) Time for serving answer after service of motion
Service of a motion permitted under this section alters the time for serving the answer as follows, unless a different time is fixed by order of the committee: If the committee denies the motion or postpones its disposition until the hearing on the merits, the answer shall be served within ten days after notice of such action. If the committee grants a motion for a more definite statement the answer shall be served within ten days after service of the more definite statement.
(Pub. L. 91–138, §4, Dec. 5, 1969, 83 Stat. 285.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section applicable with respect to any general or special election for Representative in, or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress of the United States occurring after Dec. 5, 1969, see section 19 of Pub. L. 91–138, set out as a note under section 381 of this title.
About This Section
2 U.S.C. § 383 is part of Title 2 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 2 U.S.C. § 383. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.