Depending on whether your pleading was verified, or not, this can be as quick as a few days in cases where the clerk can enter default, or as long as a few weeks in the event a hearing is necessary in order to secure a default judgment.
Regardless of how the judgment is obtained, there are three main options to consider in attempting to collect on the judgment. Filing a Garnishment. First, a party may pursue a garnishment. Recording a Writ of Fieri Facias. Conducting Post-Judgment Discovery.
Generally, if a defendant fails to respond to a complaint you can get a default judgment after 45 days. However, the court system is very slow these days and it can take several months to get the court to issue the default judgment.
Once the judgment is set aside, the case starts up again. If you do not file an answer with the court to defend against plaintiff's complaint, you could again be defaulted and another default judgment could be entered against you.
A defendant can challenge the entry of default by filing a motion pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(c), which allows the court to set it aside for “good cause” shown. Under certain circumstances, the court is required to do so.
As further bad news, default judgments do not simply vanish. The lien of a default judgment lasts five years and may be easily and repeatedly revived and transferred to other counties or states.
If you do not think the default judgment was appropriately entered against you, you must file a motion with the court asking the judge to “set aside” (void or nullify) the judgment. If the judge grants your motion, the case starts back up again.
For that purpose the judgment debtor should approach the plaintiff/judgment creditor or his/her/its attorney to obtain the written consent to rescission of judgment. There is however no requirement in law that obliges a plaintiff/judgment creditor to give a consent to rescission of judgment.
If the defendant doesn't file an answer to the claim within 30 days, the defendant shall be in default. However, after the expiration of the 30 days, the defendant has 15 days in which to "open the default" by filing an answer and paying court costs.
Most Courts, including California, put strict time limits on when that motion may be filed (six months from entry of default in California though this time limit may be altered based on various factors) and the longer the period of time from entry of default, the harder it is to have the Court remove it.