What is a default judgment?

A default judgment is a type of legal judgment issued by a court in Washington when a defendant in a civil case either fails to appear in court or does not dispute the plaintiff’s claims. This is known as the defendant “defaulting” on the case. When this happens, the plaintiff is allowed to present their case without the defendant present. If the judge listens to the plaintiff’s evidence and finds it to be valid, a default judgment is issued in favor of the plaintiff. Default judgments are often seen as a “last resort” option in Collection Defense Law cases in Washington, and are only sought after if other methods of collecting on a debt have been unsuccessful. For instance, a creditor may attempt to contact a debtor multiple times to try and collect money owed but they may not receive any response. In these cases, the creditor may file a claim in court and attempt to get a default judgment. Default judgments are usually binding and effective. This means that if a default judgment is issued, the debtor is expected to make payment according to the terms of the judgment or face further legal action. It is important for a debtor to take a default judgment seriously and seek legal counsel if necessary.

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What is a default judgment?

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