What is a default judgment?

What is a default judgment?

• A. A judgment entered when the defendant fails to respond in time
• B. A judgment issued when the claimant fails to appear in court
• C. A judgment made without a hearing on account of settlement
• D. A provisional judgment subject to review

Answer: (A)

A default judgment arises when the defendant fails to respond to the claim within the time allowed. Once someone is properly served with a claim, they have a deadline to file a defense or appear in court. If they miss that deadline, the court can enter judgment for the claimant without a full trial. This reflects that the defendant chose not to contest the suit by the required deadline. The result is a final, enforceable judgment, though the defendant may later apply to have the default set aside for a good reason or show a meritorious defense. This is not about the claimant missing a hearing, nor about a settlement or a provisional order—those describe different procedural situations.

A default judgment arises when the defendant fails to respond to the claim within the time allowed. Once someone is properly served with a claim, they have a deadline to file a defense or appear in court. If they miss that deadline, the court can enter judgment for the claimant without a full trial. This reflects that the defendant chose not to contest the suit by the required deadline. The result is a final, enforceable judgment, though the defendant may later apply to have the default set aside for a good reason or show a meritorious defense. This is not about the claimant missing a hearing, nor about a settlement or a provisional order—those describe different procedural situations.