Opinion ID: 2455402
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Equity for the Plaintiff

Text: The principal opinion does not reach the question whether a setting aside of the judgment is fair and equitable from the plaintiff's standpoint. The question is easily answered because the uncontradicted record shows that the plaintiff knew of his lawyer's conduct and, according to his counsel's testimony, directed it. He is thus fully chargeable with any inequity or impropriety in what his attorney has done. He is entitled to his day in court, but this connotes a trial. Default is an extraordinary procedure designed to protect and maintain the processes of the court. The plaintiff is only an incidental beneficiary of the default. He had the opportunity for an undelayed trial following Judge Adolf's initial order. He took the first appeal, and there is no inequity in binding him by the final result of the appellate process. [6]