A Default Judgment
Ohio Civ.R. 55 — what happens when nobody answers
A default judgment is what a court enters when a party who was served does not answer or otherwise defend. It is not a finding that the claim was tested and won. It is a finding that nobody contested it, and it is enforceable in exactly the same way as a judgment reached after a trial.
Appeared is doing the work in that sentence. It is about having taken part in the action, not about having won anything or having filed a full defence, and somebody who took part early and then went quiet is in a different position from somebody who never responded.
| The party | Notice before the default hearing |
|---|---|
| Has appeared in the action | Written notice at least seven days before |
| Has never appeared | Not owed that notice under the rule |
Once entered, the judgment is the thing that garnishment, bank attachment and liens run from. Everything on this site about collection sits downstream of a judgment, and a default judgment is the most common way people arrive there.
“Has anything been filed in this case under my name, and what is the next date on it.”
How damages are determined after a default, defaults against a minor or an incompetent person, the position where a claim is for a sum certain, and defaults in small claims and in eviction cases, which run on their own timetables, are not covered here. Nothing on this page describes how to defend a claim, which is a matter for the case itself. Relief from a judgment already entered is a separate rule with its own requirements. Legal aid organisations in Ohio handle consumer default judgments, and a licensed Ohio attorney is who advises on a specific case.
Sources for this section (1)
- Ohio Civ.R. 55 — Default, and the seven days a party who has appeared is owed
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Talk to a licensed Ohio attorney about your situation.