Weakly-Hoyt v. Foster

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Plaintiff filed suit against defendant, a plastic surgeon, for medical malpractice. Defendant failed to answer the complaint but notified plaintiff that he filed a bankruptcy proceeding. Plaintiff then obtained an order from the bankruptcy court granting her relief from the automatic stay of proceedings against debtor. In this appeal, defendant challenged the subsequent default judgment entered against him. Defendant argued that plaintiff's failure to serve him with a statement of damages prior to entry of his default denied him a last opportunity to plead the complaint and avoid a default. The court found no error in the trial court's proceedings where, under these circumstances, service of the statement of damages on defendant was not necessary or permitted by the bankruptcy stay, would have served no useful purpose, and did not open up the default and allow defendant to answer the complaint. Accordingly, the court affirmed the judgment of the district court.View "Weakly-Hoyt v. Foster" on Justia Law