lawyer who fights default judgements

by Marisol Kshlerin 9 min read

Do I need a lawyer to handle a default judgment case?

In a civil lawsuit, a defendant who does not respond to the suit papers in a timely manner is considered “in default.”. When the plaintiff makes the required showing of default and offers proof to the court of the amount of money owed, the court will issue a default judgment in the plaintiff's favor. (Learn more about Parties in a Civil ...

What does it mean to set aside a default judgment?

At Dramer Law, our debt lawyers can help vacate default judgments against you by either litigating, negotiating for affordable payment arrangements for you or even better by settling for less than the amount that is owed, potentially saving you thousands!

Who is a judgement debtor in Florida?

We fight judgments. Vacate a judgment, settle a judgment or simply get a release of a judgment. Let us review your situation for free. 1-800-220-4318. Home; Our Team; ... Judgment by Default Judgment on Credit Report Partial Release of Judgment Post Judgment Discovery Post Judgment Interest Summary Judgment Writ of Execution Writ of Garnishment.

What information can a default judgment holder find on a defendant?

Because many of my clients in situations such as this did not know that they were ever sued before, there is a section of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, 5015, which allows a court to vacate a default judgment for improper service of process. It is rather common for us to discover when we examine the affidavit of service for this lawsuit that ...

What Is A Default Judgment?

In a civil lawsuit, a defendant who does not respond to the suit papers in a timely manner is considered “in default.” When the plaintiff makes the...

"Setting Aside" A Default Judgment

In most jurisdictions, the defendant will have a prescribed period within which to ask the court to set the default judgment aside, on good cause s...

Collecting on A Default Judgment

As an aid to plaintiffs who are confronted with the challenge of collecting the money owed to them, courts permit default judgment holders to disco...

What is a judgment in a lawsuit?

A judgment is a decision or ruling made by a court of law which states the outcome of a lawsuit. The result can mean many things, but for the services our debt lawyers offer, we’ll strictly be speaking about money judgments that may have been entered against you, with or without your knowledge.

Why can't I answer a lawsuit?

The only excuse for not answering a lawsuit is never receiving a copy of the summons and complaint to even know about the lawsuit! If a creditor or debt collector has sued you or your business and you did not know even know about it , then the chances are a default judgment probably has been entered against you since you didn’t have an opportunity to submit an answer. Default judgments often occur as a result of Improper Service or Substitute Service of the summons and complaint. This is when the collection attorney or their process server claims to have served a summons and complaint that either was merely was not served at all, was not served promptly, or was served to a substitute party.

What is a substitute party?

Serving to a substitute party is when a process server does not serve a consumer directly but instead leaves a copy of the summons and complaint either at your place of business, at your residence with a roommate, relative, or another responsible party of suitable age and mails another copy to your last known address.

How long does it take to answer a summons in New York?

In the state of New York where our Law Firm’s headquarters resides, depending on how you received the summons and complaint you have 20 to 30 days to submit an answer to the court as follows. 20 days to answer if you were personally served notification of the lawsuit. ...

How do I know if I'm being sued?

If sued, you will typically be notified in writing by receiving a summons and complaint. The summons being the court notification that you are being sued. The complaint being the details concerning why you are being sued. An answer needs to be filed with the court and a copy sent copy to the plaintiff’s attorney.

What are some examples of poor service?

Common Examples of Improper Service 1 Sending the Summons and Complaint to you by mail only. 2 Leaving the Summons and Complaint with your neighbor, who lives in a different apartment. 3 Sending the Summons and Complaint to an old address where you no longer live. 4 Throwing the Summons and Complaint on the floor in the lobby of your apartment building. 5 Leaving the Summons and Complaint in your yard.

What happens if you don't file an answer to a summons?

If you or your business does not file a written answer with the court in response to the summons and complaint received then you are forfeiting your case!!!

How to deal with a default judgment?

You have four main options to deal with a default judgment: 1 Accept the judgment. 2 Settle the judgment for less. 3 Challenge the judgment. 4 Pursue debt relief.

Why do default judgments happen?

Default judgments happen when you don’t respond to a lawsuit — often from a debt collector — and a judge resolves the case without hearing your side. In effect, you’re found guilty because you never entered a defense. Default judgments are sometimes called automatic judgments because of how fast they can happen.

What is automatic judgment?

Default judgments are sometimes called automatic judgments because of how fast they can happen. Next up could be wage garnishment or a bank account levy, which allows a creditor to remove money from your bank accounts to repay the debt. If you get notice of a default judgment or garnishment, here’s what to do. 1.

What to do if you owe money to a creditor?

Accept the judgment. If you do owe the money, simply accepting the judgment is likely your best option. You can pay in full with a lump sum directly to the creditor, if you can pull together enough money. If you can’t, you’re likely facing wage garnishment or a bank levy.

How long does it take to get a garnishment order?

Talk with a legal advisor and respond as soon as you know about the judgment. Garnishment orders can start less than a month after a judgment is granted. If you knew of the lawsuit but never responded, you generally have six months to argue “excusable neglect.”. You can cite circumstances such as illness or travel.

What to do if you get a judgment?

If you get notice of a default judgment or garnishment, here’s what to do. 1. Gather information. The debt collection process may unfold over several years before a lawsuit happens. The debt may be sold and resold from collector to collector, and errors can creep in. You’ll want to make sure the judgment order is for a debt you actually owe, ...

What happens if you never receive a collection notice?

If you never received collections notices or weren’t served a court notice before the lawsuit, the debt collector may have violated your consumer rights. You may have grounds to challenge the judgment.

What does a judgment mean in a lawsuit?

2 Judgments are different from lawsuits, a judgment means the case has already decided and the Plaintiff won. We will first try to see if the judgment can be vacated due to a procedural defect. If you were not served with the lawsuit, this may be grounds to vacate the judgment.

Do you need a release of a judgment?

3 You need a release of a judgment. If you are trying to obtain a mortgage or any other type of loan, the lender will almost certainly want a release before working with you. If you currently own a home, a judgment will cloud title on the property and you may have a hard time selling or re-financing the property.

What happens if you find out a judgment has been entered against you?

When you find out that a judgment has been entered against you, normally by discovering that your wages are being garnished or the bank account has been frozen, you still have a couple of options.#N#In most States the Courts allow you to reopen and challenge a “default judgment”...

How long does it take to appeal a judgment?

If the judgment was obtained from a Magisterial District Court, you need only file an appeal within 20 days of judgment. If the judgment was entered in the Court of Common Pleas, you must file a Petition... 1 found this answer helpful.

What is step 2 in a civil case?

Step 2 is when you serve the defendant with the Statement of Damages. It must be served in the same manner as the Complaint if the defendant didn’t appear in the action. CCP 425.11. If you served the Statement of Damages with the Complaint, you can skip Step 2.

What does CCP mean in personal injury?

Here are the steps to take in an unlimited personal injury action. CCP means California Code of Civil Procedure. CRC means California Rules of Court. A lawsuit begins when a Summons and Complaint is served on a defendant.

What is the CRC in California?

CRC means California Rules of Court. A lawsuit begins when a Summons and Complaint is served on a defendant. A defendant must file a response within 30 days of service. CCP 585-86. Step 1 is when the defendant fails to timely file his response. Step 2 is when you serve the defendant with the Statement of Damages.

What is the law for civil judgments in Florida?

Civil judgments in Florida are governed by Chapter 55 Florida Statutes.

What is a satisfaction in a judgment?

Satisfaction – a satisfaction is a document which is signed by the judgment creditor when it intends to release the obligation of the judgment debtor as a result of payment or otherwise. Joint and several – this is a term that implies liability for a part AND also for the whole.

What happens if you are sued in Florida?

If you have been sued in Florida and you lost your case or failed to respond or appear, it is likely that a judgment was entered against you. A judgment is a court order that officially and conclusively declares that one party owes a certain amount of money to another party. In Florida a judgment is NOT an order to pay money.

How long is a judgment effective in Florida?

A judgment is effective as a lien for up to twenty (20) years in Florida. This means that a judgment which is entered against an individual can be enforced for up to 20 years after its entry.

Is a domesticated judgment enforceable in Florida?

In the eyes of a Florida court , a properly domesticated out of state judgment is just as valid and enforceable as any judgment originally entered in Florida.

Can a judgment creditor recover money from you?

The following is a list of some of the potential mechanisms a judgment creditor can utilize to recover their money from you under Florida and federal law: Just because a judgment has been entered against you doesn't mean that you don't have potential options available to you.

Does Florida recognize foreign judgments?

Florida has a specific procedure for the recognition of foreign (out of state or country) judgment s which when followed properly allow an out of state judgment to be recognized here in Florida the same as any other judgment in the state.