What occurs in the case of a default judgment?

In the context of a default judgment, when a defendant fails to respond to a complaint or does not appear in court, the court may grant a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff. This means that the plaintiff is essentially awarded the case without the defendant's participation. The court assumes the allegations made by the plaintiff are true, and a verdict is rendered against the non-appearing defendant based on this assumption.

Default judgments serve as a means to uphold the legal process by providing resolution even when one party fails to engage with the proceedings. Such judgments can result in a variety of outcomes, including the awarding of damages or other relief that the plaintiff sought. This mechanism ensures that defendants cannot evade legal consequences simply by not responding to lawsuits.