What is a default judgment in a paternity case?

A default judgment in a paternity case is a court decision rendered when the defendant in a paternity case fails to respond to the court summons or fails to appear in court. This means they have “defaulted” or failed to take part in the legal proceedings. In Washington, default judgments are commonly used in paternity cases because one of the parties, usually the alleged father, cannot be found or fails to respond to the court summons. If a default judgment is granted, the court can act as if the defendant has acknowledged paternity, even though they were not present in court. The alleged father’s name will then be entered onto the child’s birth certificate and he will be considered the legal father of the child with all of the associated rights and responsibilities that come with it. In many cases, a default judgment also involves an order to pay child support. Default judgments are widely used in paternity cases in Washington as it is a way of confirming the legal father of a child even if the alleged father cannot be found or is unwilling to take part in the court proceedings.

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What is a default judgment in a paternity case?

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