JUDGMENT CHECKLIST CLERK DEFAULT JUDGMENT

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DEFAULTJUDGMENTCHECKLIST

CLERKDEFAULTJUDGMENT–CIVIL

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Use this checklist to complete your default judgment prior to filing it with the court. The Default Judgment Checklist is intended to

provideaguidelinetoproperlyfileyourProofofService,RequestforEntryofDefaultandClerkDefaultJudgment.

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Aclerkmayenteradefaultjudgmentinawrittenobligation(e.g.,contractorpromissorynote)actiononlyiftheamountdueissetforth

inthe contractormaybedeterminedfromthetermsoftheagreement.Theactionmuststatetheamountdueinthewrittenagreement

ormustbeeasilydeterminedwithouttakingevidence.Examplesofcase

typesthataretypicalofa ClerkDefaultJudgmentinclude:open

bookaccounts (creditcards),bad checks, accounts stated basedonstatements,andpromissorynotesformoneyowed,andcollection

cases.

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A clerk default judgment may be obtainedwhen the defendant fails to file a response to the summons and complaint within the time

specifiedonthesummons.Evenifthedefendantfailstofilearesponse,youwillnotobtainadefaultjudgmentifthenameddefendant

has not been properly served, the party names do not match the names on the complaint or on any subsequent amendments to the

complaint,orthereareothertechnicaldefectssuchasomittingasignature.

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Thisinformationisintendedasaguidetoassistyouinprocessingyourdefaultjudgment.

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1. ProofofService.UseJudicialCouncilformPOS–010.Asherifforprocessservermayuseasimilarformthat

complieswithCaliforniaRulesofCourt,rule2.150. 

 AseparateProofofServiceofSummonsmustbeusedforeachdefendantserved.

 Thenameofthepartyservedisthesameasthedefendantorcross‐defendantnamedincomplaintor

inanysubsequentamendment.

 Indicatethenameandtitleofthepersonauthorizedtoacceptserviceonbehalf ofabusiness/entity.

 Ifsubstitutedservicemeth odwasusedonanaturalperson,aDeclarationofDueDiligencemustbe

attachedtotheProofofService.

 IfserviceisdonebyNoticeandAcknowledgmentofReceipt–Civil(POS‐015),filetheProofofService

ofSummons(POS‐010)alongwiththesigned NoticeandAcknowledgmentofReceipt–Civil.

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2. RequestforEntryofDefault.UseJudicialCouncilformCIV‐100.Thisformspecifieswhichsectionsare

requiredtobecompletedtoobtaindefaultonly,ortoobtaindefaultandapplyforadefaultjudgment.The

defaultcannotbeenteredifanyofthefollowingexists:

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 Thetimeforthedefendanttorespond,asspecifiedinthesummons,hasnotexpired.

 Ananswer,demurrer,noticeofmotiontostrikeanypartofthepleading,noticeofmotiontotransfer,

noticeofmotiontodismiss,noticeofmotiontoquashserviceofsummonsortostayordismissthe

action,ornoticeoffilingawritofmandate.(CodeofCivilProceduresection

585(a)—(c))

 ThePOS‐010doesnotindicatethedefendantwasproperlyserved.

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Ifanyofthefollowingexists,thedefaultofdefendantmaynotbeentered:

 Thenamesofthedefendant(s),including“aka’s”,arenotthesameasthenamesonthecomplaintor

anyamendment.

 ProofofserviceofStatementofDamages(JudicialCouncilformCIV‐050)hasnotbeenfiledwhenthe

complaintisforPersonalInjuryorWrongfulDeathaction.

 Proofofserviceofstatementofdamageshasnotbeenfiledwhenthecomplain tis requestingpunitive

damages.

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3. ClerkDefaultJudgment.UseJudicialCouncilformJUD‐100.

*Note:Ifastatementofdamageswasrequired,youmustproceedwithaCourtDefaultJudgment.

Anydamages,prejudgmentinterest,attorneyfees,costsorothermonetaryamounts,ifrequested,mustbe

stated1)intheprayerofthecomplaint,and2)

mustbespecifiedontheReque stforEntryof Defaultform

(page1,section2).Theclerkwillnotcalculatetheamountsforyou.

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 UseJudicialCouncilformCIV‐110–RequestforDismissal,todismissanynamedordoedefendants

notstatedonthejudgment.

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Costsclaimedonthejudgment:

 Ifthecasecouldhavebee nfiledinSmallClaimsCourt,youmayapplytothecourttohavecostsallowed

aspartofthejudgment.

 IfthecasecouldnothavebeenfiledinSmallClaimsCourt(e.g.,assignedclaim),submitadeclaration

statingthatthedemandletterwasmailedtothedefendant,notifyingthemthattheyareliableforcourt

costs(CodeofCivilProceduresection1033).Youmustapplytothecourtto

havecostsallowedaspart

ofthejudgment.

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Interestclaimedonthejudgment:

 Interestisallowedatthelegalrateunlessthecontractallowsforahigherrate.Thismustalsobe

specifiedintheprayerofthecomplaint.Iftheamountexceedsthelegalrate,theoriginalcontractmust

befiledwiththecourt.

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 AttorneyFeesclaimedonthejudgment:

 Attorneyfeesclaimedmustcomplywithanyscheduleprovided forbylocalcourtrules.

 Ifattorneyfeesareallowedbyaspecificstatute,suchasCivilCodesection1717,etseq.,thismustbe

specifiedinaseparatedeclarationorspecifiedintheprayer ofthecomplaint.

 Ifattorneyfeesarebasedonawrittenagreement,thismustbestatedintheprayerofthecomplaint.

Theoriginalcontractmustbefiledwiththecourt. 

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WrittenAgreement:

 Submittheoriginalcontractoracopyofthecontractwithadeclarationwhytheoriginalcontract

cannotbesubmitted.Thismustbefiledwhenrequestingattorneyfeesinaccordancetothe

agreementorwhenrequestinginterestthatismorethanthelegallimit.Youcanhelpexpediteyour

judgmentbyhighlightingtheagreementforattorneyfeesandanyinterestclaimedthatexceedsthe

legalamount.Inmost

instances,thelegalamountis10%.

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FeeWaiverhasbeengrantedforprevailingparty:

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 Thejudgmentmustincludeallfeesthatwerewaivedbythecourt.Anycostscollectedmustbepaidto

thecourt.

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4. Basicstocheckorincludebeforesubmittingyourdocumenttothecourt.

 Iseachdocumentanddeclarationda tedandsigned?

 If you  are not eFiling orfiling  by FAX, eachdocumen t submitted must be an original unless  you have

appliedtothecourttoacceptacopyinlieuoftheoriginal.

 Did you include a self‐addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size and with sufficient postage for

theclerktoreturnyourfilestampedcopiestoyou?

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Information

L‐1006(RevisedMay2015) Page3of3

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DefaultJudgment–GeneralCivilComplaints(non‐UnlawfulDetainerActions)

GeneralInformation

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ClerkDefaultJudgment 

AClerkDefaultJudgmentmaybeobtainedinan

actionarisingfromacontractfortherecoveryof

moneyordamageswherethereliefsoughtisfixed.

Thejudgmentmaybeenteredimmediatelyfollowing

the

entryofdefault.CCP585(a)

SamplesofTypesofCases thatmaybeSuitablefor

ClerkDefaultJudgment

Open‐bookaccountsasdefinedinCCP337(a)

Promissorynotes

Recoveryofmoneyordamagesonly

BreachofContract

Collectioncases

CourtDefaultJudgment

WhentheClerkdoesnothavetheauthoritytoenter

adefaultjudgment,aCourtDefaultJudgmentis

required.

SamplesofTypesofCases notsuitableforaClerk

DefaultJudgment

Amountofreliefsoughtisnotfixedordeterminable

fromthecontractterms;

Casedidnotarise

fromacontractorjudgment;

Thesummonswasservedbypublication;

Atleastoneofthedefendantsisnotindefaultandhas

notbeendismissed.

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AnswerstoCommonQuestions

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What is required to be filed to have a default

entered?

Proof of Service of Summons (for each party to be

defaulted);

Request to Enter Default (Judicial Council form CIV‐

100)

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Whatisrequiredtobefiledwithmyjudgmentformto

obtainaClerk

DefaultJudgment?

ProofofServiceofSummons(ifnotalreadyfiled);

RequesttoEnterDefault(ifnotalreadyfiled);

Declaration pursuant to Code of Civ. Proc. § 1033 (if

judgment amount is less than the jurisdiction of Small

ClaimsCourt);

Originalagreementordeclarationtoacceptcopyin lieu

oforiginal

(ifapplicable).

ThecourthassetaCaseManagementConference.If

Isubmita defaultjudgment,willthehearingstillbe

held?

Thehearingwillbeheldunlessyourdefaultjudgment

is processed and entere d by the clerk prior  to the

hearingdate.Filingyourdocumentsaccuratelyandin

areasonable timeprior

to the hearing date  will help

ensureyourcaseisremovedfromthecourtcalendar.

Whenistheoriginalagreementrequiredforjudgment?

Wheninterestexceedsthelegalrate

Whenattorneyfeesarebasedonwrittenagreement

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UsefulResources

UsefulresourcesincludeformsandCaliforniaRulesofCourtfoundatwww.courts.ca.gov.

 Casemanagementtimelinescanimpactthefilingofyourdocuments.ThesecanbefoundinCaliforniaRulesofCourt,rule3.110.

ThisdoesnotapplytoCollectioncasesunderrule3.740(a),unlawfuldetaineractions,andotherproceedingsforwhichdifferent

servicerequirementsareprescribedbylaw.

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 CalCodeofCivilProcedure,sections425.11;415.115;417.10etseq.;579;585‐587;1033

 CalRulesofCourt,rule3.1800–Dismissalofdefendants

 CalRulesofCourt,rule3.1806–Cancelationoforiginalcontractbyclerk

 CivilCode1717.5–Openbook,attorneyfees



Localrulesofthecourtwhereyourcaseisfiled

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