What is a default judgment in civil litigation?

A default judgment is an order from a court in a civil litigation case that is made when a defendant does not respond to or appear in court. In California, if a defendant in a civil lawsuit has not responded to the case after being served with the proper legal documents, the plaintiff can file a request for a default judgement. The default judgement is typically in favor of the plaintiff and entitles them to the relief listed in the complaint. The default judgement has the same effect as a judgement after a trial. It is legally binding and the court will enforce it as if the defendant had appeared in court and agreed to the terms. However, if the defendant later appears and shows cause why the judgement should not have been made, the court may set it aside and the case will continue. In civil lawsuits, a default judgement is an efficient way of resolving cases. Parties are not required to appear in person in order for the judgement to be made. This means cases can be closed quickly and the plaintiff can receive the compensation they are seeking without lengthy and expensive litigation.

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What is a default judgment in civil litigation?

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