Opinion ID: 1441495
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Effect of the Default

Text: The entry of a default under Civil Rule 55(a) must be distinguished from a judgment by default under Rule 55(b). In general, the entry of a default does not constitute a judgment, but simply precludes the defaulting party from offering any further defense on the issue of liability. See Clark v. Moler, 418 A.2d 1039, 1042 (D.C.1980); 46 AM.JUR.2D Judgments § 266, at 578 (1994). An entry of default is simply an interlocutory order, whereas a default judgment is a final judgment that terminates the litigation and decides the dispute. Id. (footnote omitted). In a large majority of jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia, the entry of a default operates as an admission by the defaulting party that there are no issues of liability, but leaves the issue of damages unresolved until entry of judgment .... Id. at 579; see B. Finberg, Annotation, Necessity of Taking Proof as to Liability against Defaulting Party, 8 A.L.R.3D 1070, 1073 (1966). Unless the default order provides otherwise, [2] proof of liability thus becomes unnecessary. See Firestone v. Harris, 414 A.2d 526, 528 (D.C.1980) (entry of default establishes the non-defaulting party's right to recover); Taylor v. Johnson, 262 A.2d 803, 804 (D.C. 1970) (in child support case, the effect of the entry of default is the admission of the truth of well-pleaded allegations in the complaint; ex parte proof is limited to the amount of support to be awarded); Maryland ex rel. John F. Casey Co. v. Travelers Indemnity Co., 197 A.2d 265, 266 (D.C.1964) (entry of default establishes liability without further proof of right to recover); Ramey v. Hewitt, 188 A.2d 350, 351 (D.C.1963) (entry of default constitutes an admission by defendant of plaintiff's right to recover); Anderson v. Gallman, 99 A.2d 560, 561 (D.C.1953) (entry of default establishes liability, and ex parte proof should be limited to the amount of damages); accord, e.g., United States v. DiMucci, 879 F.2d 1488, 1497 (7th Cir.1989); Geddes v. United Financial Group, 559 F.2d 557, 560 (9th Cir.1977); Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hughes, 449 F.2d 51, 70 (2d Cir.1971), rev'd on other grounds, 409 U.S. 363, 93 S.Ct. 647, 34 L.Ed.2d 577 (1973). Thus the only issue remaining before the trial court in this case was the extent of the damages Mr. Lockhart sustained as a result of Ms. Cade's legal malpractice. There is language in D.C. Transit System, Inc. v. Young, 293 A.2d 488, 489 (D.C.1972), to the effect that a default should not be entered if the defendant has filed an answer, and that in such a situation the plaintiff must be put to his proof [of liability]. This statement appears to be somewhat in tension with our decision in Firestone v. Harris, supra , in which the entry of a default was affirmed even though the defendant had filed not only an answer but also a counterclaim. [3] We need not try to resolve that tension here, however, because we can construe the entry of default in this case as a permissible sanction under the discovery rules. Rule 37(d)(2) of the Superior Court Civil Rules permits the court to impose any sanction authorized by Rule 37(b)(2)(A), (B), or (C) on a party who fails to comply with a discovery request. One of the sanctions listed in Rule 37(b)(2)(C) is the entry of a judgment by default against the disobedient party. When Mr. Lockhart filed his motion for default judgment, Ms. Cade had filed an answer, but she had failed to provide discovery, despite repeated requests and at least two extensions of time. In these circumstances the court had the power under Super. Ct. Civ. R. 37(d)(2) to enter a default judgment (and thus necessarily a default) as a sanction for her discovery violations. Indeed, the same thing happened in Firestone, which perhaps may explain why the court in Firestone did not find it necessary to distinguish Young. Furthermore, the default order itself directed that the case be set for an ex parte proof hearing on damages on the next available date on notice to all parties. When that hearing was held, however, the trial judge suddenly decided that Mr. Lockhart must prove liability as well as damages, contrary to the specific language of the default order (hearing on damages ) which that same judge had signed just a few weeks earlier. This is not to say, of course, that a trial judge may not change his mind about a matter before a final judgment is entered; on the contrary, judges throughout the land change their minds every day, without appellate consequences. See, e.g., United States v. Green, 134 U.S.App.D.C. 278, 279, 414 F.2d 1174, 1175 (1969) (when trial judge withdrew oral ruling and entered a new order after hearing further argument, original ruling had no legal significance and was not subject to review). However, when a judge unexpectedly departs from the terms of a prior order, any party prejudiced by that departure (such as Mr. Lockhart) should be entitled to redress, notwithstanding any seemingly contrary language in Young. We therefore hold, in light of Firestone, Ramey, Anderson, and similar cases here and elsewhere, that the entry of the default against Ms. Cade relieved Mr. Lockhart of any further obligation to prove liability, and that the ex parte hearing should have been confined to proof of damages only.