What is a default judgment?

A default judgment is a court ruling made when one party involved in a lawsuit does not respond, or does not respond in the timeframe given by the court. It usually occurs in civil lawsuits, in which a plaintiff (person filing the lawsuit) has filed a complaint against a defendant (person being sued), but the defendant has not responded within the appointed time or has not responded at all. In Massachusetts, a default judgment is usually awarded to the plaintiff by the court if the defendant does not respond or answer the complaint. A default judgment may award specific damages to the plaintiff, including repayment of money or other compensation requested in the lawsuit. In other cases, it may grant an injunction or declare a permanent injunction to be in effect. A defendant is typically notified that a default judgment has been issued, as well as the specific terms of the judgment. If they disagree with the judgment, they may file a motion with the court to set aside the default judgment and request a hearing on the matter. The defendant may also choose to appeal the decision if they still believe the outcome did not serve justice.

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