This form is a sample letter in Word format covering the subject matter of the title of the form.
This form is a sample letter in Word format covering the subject matter of the title of the form.
To vacate a default, your motion papers must show a good reason or excuse for your default and that your claims or defenses have legal merit. Whenever a motion is to be brought, the person filing the motion is called the moving party or the movant.
If you received (were served) a copy of the judgment, you have up to one year from the date of the judgment to ask the court to vacate a judgment based on excusable default. If you never received (were served) a copy of the judgment, this one-year time limit does not apply to you.
The defendant must submit to the clerk the necessary papers and the clerk enters a judgment for costs (CPLR 3215(a); see Plaintiff's Default During the Litigation: Necessary Papers). The defendant must apply to the clerk for a default judgment within one year of the plaintiff's default (CPLR 3215(a)).
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you have a valid reason, you can petition the judge to set aside default judgment by filing a motion to vacate which, if successful, would allow you to return to court and to contest your debt.
You have four main options to deal with a default judgment: Accept the judgment. Settle the judgment for less. Challenge the judgment. Pursue debt relief.