What is a default judgment in civil law?

A default judgment in civil law is a ruling in favor of one of the parties in a court dispute when the other party fails to respond in a timely manner. This occurs when the party against whom the judgment is to be entered fails to appear in court or otherwise fails to file a response on time. In Washington, a default judgment is issued when a defendant fails to respond within 20 days after the initial complaint is filed. Once a default judgment is entered, it has the same legal effect as any other court judgment. This means that it establishes the rights and responsibilities of each party, and the court expects them to abide by them. If a party fails to comply with what is required under the judgment, they could be held in contempt of court if they do not take appropriate action. A party may be able to set aside a default judgment if they can show the court why they failed to respond on time. For example, if they had a valid excuse or if they were unaware of the lawsuit, they may be able to get the default judgment overturned. However, it is important to note that this is not always an option, and it should be done as soon as possible after the judgment is issued.

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