How do you respond to a lawsuit for property taxes?

Answer

Your likely mis-phrasing what your asking.

Property taxes, like virtually all taxes, are payable to a government entity. If you don't pay them their is a specific, rather unyielding process, the Jurisdicition must go through to get what they are due. While it varies by location, generally tThat entails filing papers that would get your property sold at tax sale (a public auction) to the highest bidder. You may be getting notice that these steps are being taken, but that is slightly different than being sued for the tax.

You can contest the tax assesment, but normally the time to do so is when it is first issued. That is before it is due and before the Govt could start collection actions...normally these back taxes actions are years in the making.

If you didn't contest them properly and on time when issued, you have no right to do so now. The taxes became agreed and owed by the property.

Hence, responses to not having paid taxes are really limited to paying them and protesting them on a prospective basis only.

Arguments, especially tax protester like ones- "they don't have the right", you don't agree with how they spend it, a generally unfair tax system, etc., will not be heard and can lead to extra damages being assesed above and beyond the tax.