What is a default judgment?

A default judgment is a court decision in a civil lawsuit that is rendered in favor of the plaintiff (the party who filed the lawsuit) when the defendant (the party being sued) has failed to respond to the lawsuit in a timely manner. In California, the court may enter a default judgment if the defendant does not respond within thirty days after they are served with the complaint. When the court enters a default judgment, the court essentially decides the case in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant, who has been declared in default for failing to respond. This means that the defendant has lost their chance to dispute any claims or facts that the plaintiff has made in the lawsuit. The court must still decide the amount of legal damages owed to the plaintiff. This amount is usually determined by the court based on the evidence presented by the plaintiff. The court may also order the defendant to pay certain expenses that the plaintiff has incurred as part of the lawsuit. If the plaintiff is successful in their lawsuit and the court enters a default judgment, the plaintiff may be able to collect their damages from the defendant.

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What is a default judgment?

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