Background: | You sued someone for affirmative relief |
Problem: | That person has failed to respond to your complaint |
Solution: | You ask the Court to enter judgment in your favor |
Default
"failure to discharge a duty... in the context of judicial proceedings: failure of one of the parties to take procedural steps to prevent entry of a judgment against him (called a default judgment)."
Default Judgment
"1. a judgment against defendant who has failed to respond to plaintiff's action or to appear at the trial or hearing."
"2. judgment given without the defendant being heard in his own defense."
Source: Barron's Dictionary of Legal Terms, Steven H. Gifis, 5th Edition; © 2016
Rule 1.140(a)(1) Fla. R. Civ. P. | Defenses - When Presented
Unless a different time is prescribed in a statute of Florida, a defendant must serve an answer within 20 days after service of original process and the initial pleading on the defendant, or not later than the date fixed in a notice by publication. A party served with a pleading stating a crossclaim against that party must serve an answer to it within 20 days after service on that party. The plaintiff must serve an answer to a counterclaim within 20 days after service of the counterclaim...
Rule 1.500 Fla. R. Civ. P. | Defaults ands Final Judgments Thereon
(a) By the Clerk.
When a party against whom affirmative relief is sought has failed to file or serve any document in the action, the party seeking relief may have the clerk enter a default against the party failing to serve or file such document.
(b) By the Court.
When a party against whom affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead or otherwise defend as provided by these rules or any applicable statute or any order of court, the court may enter a default against such party; provided that if such party has filed or served any document in the action, that party must be served with notice of the application for default.
(e) Final Judgment.
Final judgments after default may be entered by the court at any time... If it is necessary to take an account or to determine the amount of damages or to
establish the truth of any averment by evidence or to make an investigation of any other matter to enable the court to enter
judgment or to effectuate it, the court may receive affidavits, make references, or conduct hearings as it deems necessary and
must accord a right of trial by jury to the parties when required by the Constitution or any statute.
# | Comments | |
---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | ± TBD case. Pro Se Filing | Duval | §1983 Case | Failure to Appear (AG tried to rescue, though) |
2 | ![]() | x Denied | 2020 | Attorney Filing | Defendant Moved to Strike (denied); Failed to answer complaint |
3 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2020 | Attorney Filing | Unlawful Detainer; Quitclaim Deed |
4 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2020 | Attorney Filing | Attached Proposed Order |
5 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2020 | Attorney Filing | Car Crash; Requested hearing on damages |
6 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2020 | Attorney Filing | Failure to appear |
7 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Unlawful Detainer |
8 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Writ of Possession |
9 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Eviction Case; Failure to Appear; |
10 | ![]() | ± Pending | 2019 | Pro Se Filing | Non-Lawyer Representative; |
11 | ![]() | x Denied | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Declaratory Action; Failure to appear |
12 | ![]() | - No ruling | 2019 | Pro Se Filing | Standard Form; Failure to appear; Calculated Damages (133k) |
13 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Fraud case; Motor vehicle; Long-winded; Failure to appear |
14 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Failure to appear |
15 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Commercial Eviction; incomplete/not proofread |
16 | ![]() | - no ruling | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Defendant asked for an extension, but still failed to respond |
17 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Nice Document; Calculated Damages |
18 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Dual Request (Default and Default Judgment); Attached Proposed Order(s) |
19 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Included Summary Judgment; Nice Document; Liquidated vs Unliquidated Damages |
20 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Mentioned Default Entry |
21 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Pro Se Filing | Prisoner; Willful disregard; Discovery; Many citations; Showed Damages; |
22 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Pro Se Filing | Court-Issued Form |
23 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2019 | Proposed Order only (titled "Final Judgment") |
24 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2018 | Attorney Filing | Property case; Cited Freeman v Freeman |
25 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2018 | Attorney Filing | Declaration Violation; Injunction; Defendant died beforehand |
26 | ![]() | - no ruling | 2019 | Attorney Filing | Dual Request (Default and Default Judgment) |
27 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2018 | Attorney Filing | Failure to Appear; Affidavits; Requested hearing on damages |
28 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2018 | Attorney Filing | Writ of Possession; Many Affidavits (Venue, etc.); Failure to Appear |
29 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2017 | Attorney Filing | Declaratory Judgment; §86.011 FS; Loan |
30 | ![]() | - no ruling | 2017 | Pro Se Filing | Cited entry of default; $119k in calculated damages; |
31 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2017 | Attorney Filing | Declaratory Judgment; §86.011 FS; Loan |
32 | ![]() | x Denied | 2017 | Attorney Filing | Discovery Problems; Judicial Notice; Sanctions; |
33 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2016 | Attorney Filing | Foreclosure Case; Demand for Payment |
34 | ![]() | x Denied | 2014 | Pro Se Filing | Qui Tam Case; Corporation; Constitution Cited |
35 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2014 | Attorney Filing | Writ of Garnishment |
36 | ![]() | - no ruling | 2012 | Attorney Filing | Clerk vacated Default; No responsive pleading |
37 | ![]() | ✓ Granted | 2012 | Attorney Filing | Mortgage Case; Many Citations |
38 | ![]() | ✓ Partially Granted | 2011 | Attorney Filing | Eviction Case; Many Citations; Summary Judgment Stated |
39 | ![]() | ✓ Partially Granted | 2010 | Attorney Filing | Eviction Case; No Exceptions; Attached Default |
40 | ![]() | - no ruling | 2010 | Attorney Filing | Discrimination Case; Motion to Sever; Withdraw Counsel |
# | Word | Comments |
---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | Duval Version | Replace all placeholder tags (eg "[plfName]" becomes "John Doe"). |
If your civil opponent has failed to appear and/or failed to answer your complaint then move the Court for Final Judgment After Default.