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How does plaintiff respond to defendants motion for orders to set aside default and vacate judgment?
Courts generally prefer to decide cases on the merits (facts), rather than by default. However, when an answer to a complaint has not been timely filed, and damages are proven to the satisfaction of the court (either by affidavit or by testimony), a default judgment may be entered.
Most jurisdictions require that in order to set aside a default judgment, the following be shown. This assumes a failure to answer a complaint-rather than a default judgment resulting from pleadings having been stricken as a sanction for noncompliance with a court order:
--a reasonable excuse for not answering the complaint. Within the scope of this would be the failure to be properly served with process (personal, substitute, or lawful constructive service per applicable statute). If proven, bad service of process effectively voids the judgment, as it can be argued that the court never got personal jurisdiction over the defendant(s). There are other valid excuses for not timely answering; the court has much discretion in that regard.
--an arguable, substantive defense to the Plaintiff's claim. It is not enough to say "I did not do it". The motion has to allege facts that tend to show the existence of facts supporting the defense. Otherwise, it would be a waste of time and resources to vacate the default and have a hearing or trial.
The motion should be made as soon as possible after discovering the existence of the default judgment. While a prompt motion will not in and of itself guaranty success, waiting a long time to file it will tend to prejudice success.
The motion gets filed with the Clerk of the Court where the judgment was entered, and a copy mailed to the the Plaintiff or his/her/its attorney of record. The judge's office should also be contacted for instructions as to how to schedule a hearing on the motion.
All of that said, the Plaintiff could argue that there was proper service and that there was no reasonable excuse for failing to timely respond. The Plaintiff would further argue that the Defendant has no meritorious defense to the underlying claim and therefore, a trial on the merits would not change the ultimate outcome. The Plaintiff could also argue that the Defendant waited too long to move to have the default judgment vacated. While there is nothing akin to a statute of limitations for such a motion, the Plaintiff may take the position that the Defendant just waited too long.
Finally, depending upon the complexity if the underlying matter, retaining a lawyer may be advisable.
What else can I help you with?
What does motion and request for default mean?
A plaintiff starts a lawsuit by filing a complaint and serving the complaint and summons on the defendant (or defendants). If the defendant does not answer the complaint or otherwise respond to the suit, the plaintiff make request a "default judgment." This means, more or less, "the defendant has not responded and the court should therefore grant what I sought in the complaint." Usually, a default judgment will be restricted to the relief sought in the complaint and will be restricted to amounts that are reasonably calculable. For example, say somebody hit you with their car, and you sued for $100,000 in medical bill. If the defendant ignores the lawsuit, the plaintiff will request a default judgment, and the court will likely grant them a $100,000 judgment. The plaintiff will then take the judgment to (most often) the county sheriff's department, which will then seize a defendants property to be sold to pay the judgment; or plaintiff can seek other remedies, like garnishment of wages. Lesson: don't ignore lawsuits. That's how you lose for sure.
What is the process for obtaining a default judgment after service by publication in a legal case?
After serving the defendant by publication, the plaintiff must file proof of service with the court. The plaintiff then needs to wait for a specified period of time for the defendant to respond. If the defendant does not respond within the given time frame, the plaintiff can request a default judgment from the court. The court will review the case and may grant the default judgment if all requirements have been met.
What is Request of entry of default?
When a person (the plaintiff) sues someone (the defendant), the defendant gets a certain amount of time to respond to the lawsuit (times vary by state). If the defendant does not respond to the lawsuit within the time period prescribed or does not show up to court on the day he or she is supposed to, the plaintiff will ask for (and the court will usually give) a default judgment. Simply put, the plaintiff wins because the defendant did not make an effort to defend themselves. A request for entry of default is when the time has passed for the defendant to respond to a lawsuit and the plaintiff is asking for a default judgment. This only applies to civil cases, not criminal cases.
If the defendant in a civil suit does not respond to the charges what happens?
The plaintiff will win a by default and a judgment will be entered against the defendant. There are not laws that require a person to file an answer or to be present at the civil suit hearing.
What happens when a motion and entry of default and default of judgment have been filed against you?
When a motion and entry of default and default judgment are filed against you, it typically means that the opposing party has requested the court to rule in their favor due to your failure to respond or appear in a legal proceeding. This can result in a default judgment, where the court grants the plaintiff's claims without your input. As a consequence, you may lose the case automatically, leading to potential financial liabilities or other court-ordered actions. It is crucial to seek legal advice promptly to address the situation and possibly contest the default.
What is the difference between default and default judgment in legal proceedings?
In legal proceedings, "default" refers to a party's failure to respond or appear in court, while "default judgment" is a ruling in favor of the party who did appear due to the other party's default.
What is the difference between a default and default judgment in a legal case?
A default occurs when a party fails to respond or appear in court, while a default judgment is a ruling in favor of the party who did appear due to the other party's absence.
Do you enter request for default judgment before filing for default judgment?
Yes, before filing for a default judgment, you typically need to enter a request for default with the court. This process involves notifying the court that the opposing party has failed to respond or appear in the case. Once the court enters the default, you can then proceed to file for a default judgment, which may include submitting documentation to support your claim for the judgment.
The Plaintiff filed for Motion for default judgment and i received a notice that the motion for default judgment is hereby denied What does that mean to me being the defendant?
That normally means the plaintiff asked the judge for a judgment against you not on the facts of the case but just because you're in default (for failure to appear, plead, answer, or do something else you're supposed to do as a defendant in litigation wherever you are). And apparently the judge said no, and either the law required that notice be sent to you or the judge in his or her discretion ordered that notice be sent to you. So right now there's no judgment against you -- yet. The next step if you do nothing but continue to receive court notices and you do not respond, may be for the plaintiff to ask the judge for a trial date where the plaintiff puts on its witnesses and evidence and if you are given notice to the trial and don't show up the judge could enter a judgment against you "ex parte" (one-sided) and then it just gets more difficult to undo anything.
Can a judgment be filed against a person without going to court?
No, even if the plaintiff wins the case through arbitration they will still need to file a petition with the court of venue to receive a writ of judgment. On the other side, however, if the defendant fails to respond to a summons pertaining to a lawsuit or judgment he/she will lose by default and may not be able to claim any of their property exemptions.
What is interlocutory default judgment?
An interlocutory default judgment is a preliminary ruling issued by a court when one party fails to respond or participate in a lawsuit. It is not the final judgment in the case but may be used to move the legal process forward in the absence of the non-responsive party.
What happens if you don't appear in a civil suit court case?
The plaintiff wins the case by default and a judgment is entered against the defendant. A civil lawsuit summons is not a court order per se and therefore the defendant is not obligated to appear. An order of appearance from the court, interrogatories, depositions, discovery motions and so forth are different matters and the person(s) named should always respond. Legal counsel is always advisable in such matters.
