Case Name: Law v. Dungan and Latham
Court: Constitutional Court of South Carolina
Jurisdiction: South Carolina
Decision Date: 1808-11
Citations: 2 Brev. 263
Docket Number: 
Parties: Law v. Dungan and Latham.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Carolina Law Reports
Volume: 4
Pages: 263–264

Head Matter:
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, COLUMBIA,
NOV. 1808.
Law v. Dungan and Latham.
If the defendant fails to enter an appearance, according to act of assembly of 1791, the plaintiff may take judgment by default, without serving, or posting, any rule to plead.
Appeal from a determination by Wilds, J., at Newberry. The writ was returnable before October term, 1807. No appearance was entered during that term. In April term following, the plain* tiff filed his declaration, and demanded from the clerk an order for judgment by default, which the clerk refused, as no rule to plead had been served, or posted. The plaintiff then applied to the court; and the court ordered that plaintiff should have his order for judgment, and the cause docketed as a writ of inquiry.
The motion in this court was to reverse that order. The motion 'was submitted without argument*
Farrow, for the plaintiff.

Opinion:
Smith, J.,
declared the opinion of the court,- that the decision in the District Court was right. The act of assembly, February, 1791, requires the defendaut, by his attorney, to enter an appear* anee regularly with the clerk of the court, during the sitting of the court; and authorizes the plaintiff to take judgment by default, for1 want of an appearance. In such case, no rule to plead is necessa* ry; because, till the defendant appears, he is to be considered in default, and is not allowed to plead, or set up any defence to the action.