To set aside a default judgment in California, either the judgment must be void on its face, or the motion brought within two years of entry. In a recent case the motion was filed more then two years after the judgment was entered. The trial court found that the evidence showed that there was no actual service on the defendant, and vacated the default judgment. The appellate court reversed, finding that on a motion filed more than two years after entry of default judgment, the trial court was precluded from considering evidence offered in support of motion. It also found that proof of service on “John Doe, co-resident” was not void on its face. People in apparent charge of businesses and residences often refuse to give their true legal names. For this reason, it is an accepted practice to name such a person as “John Doe” or similar fictitious name, or by description.
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Published In:
Civil Procedure Updates, Civil Remedies Updates, Commercial Law & Contracts Updates
Reference Info:
Decision |
State, 9th Circuit, California |
United States
DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.
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