| I am not a lawyer. This is my opinion and a summary | | | | ways, this is good news - the judge ruled in your |
| of what I have learned and observed. If you need | | | | favor, there were no delays, no extra expenses, and |
| legal advice, contact a lawyer. | | | | you didn't have to hear or read the debtor's lies in |
| To start a lawsuit, legal papers (called the complaint) | | | | court. |
| must first be served on the defendant. The | | | | However, a default judgment (where the debtor did |
| defendant becomes a debtor when a judge signs an | | | | not show up) is sometimes a hollow victory. Many |
| order creating a civil judgment. | | | | debtors do not care about default judgments. This is |
| If the defendant does not provide an answer within | | | | because the common sense definition of a default, |
| a certain period of time, and/or does not show up on | | | | does not apply in civil courts. Most of the time when |
| the date of the court hearing, the defendant | | | | you default, you lose. In civil court, a default is often |
| becomes a debtor, and a default Judgment results. | | | | a second chance for a debtor to avoid paying a |
| A default means you won your lawsuit. In many | | | | judgment. |