Opinion ID: 1759192
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: was default judgment improperly entered in the absence of proof of service of process or a validly executed waiver of process and/or entry of appearance?

Text: Terrell argues that the default judgment was improperly entered against her because there is no evidence contained in the record of proof of service of process, and she did not execute a waiver or file any entry of appearance. Terrell does not claim she never received service of process, and pursuant to Rule 4(c)(3) of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, Terrell was mailed, by First Class Mail on June 25, 1991, a copy of the summons and an attested copy of the formal complaint, as evidenced by the Certificate of Service and the Notice filed in the Court file on June 26, 1991. The record also shows that Terrell filed a Motion for Additional Time to Plead shortly after receiving service of process. This motion for time was correctly styled and included the cause number from the Bar's formal complaint in the top right hand corner, and identified the Bar as the Complainant and Terrell as the Respondent. The Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure apply to default judgment in disciplinary actions. Vining v. Mississippi State Bar Association, 508 So.2d 1047, 1048 (Miss. 1987). The Bar mailed the formal complaint on June 25, 1991. Terrell did not return an acknowledgement of service. The Bar did not then exercise the option of effecting service of process by other means permitted under the Rule, which would have shifted the burden of payment of costs to Terrell for service of process. However, Terrell filed her Motion for Additional Time to Plead on July 18, twenty-three (23) days after the complaint was filed and mailed to her. M.R.C.P. 6(e) provides that whenever service of process is by mail, three (3) days shall be added to the prescribed period of time for response. A lawyer has twenty (20) days to respond to a formal complaint filed by the Bar against him. Rules of Discipline 8.3; see also, Vining. Therefore, Terrell's Motion for Additional Time to Plead, filed twenty-three (23) days after the formal complaint was filed and mailed to her, was filed on the last day permitted. Presumably, the Bar waited the entire prescribed period before exercising another option of service of process, and when Terrell filed her motion, the Bar assumed she had thereby waived any argument she might have had with respect to sufficiency of service of process or personal jurisdiction. Waiver of the defenses of lack of jurisdiction over the person and insufficiency of service of process is governed by M.R.C.P. 12(h). Jones v. Chandler, 592 So.2d 966 (Miss. 1991). Rule 12(h) provides in pertinent part: (1) A defense of lack of jurisdiction over the person, ... or insufficiency of service of process is waived (A) if omitted from a motion in the circumstances described in subdivision (g), or (B) if it is neither made by a motion under this rule nor included in a responsive pleading or an amendment thereof permitted by Rule 15(a) to be made as a matter of course. Terrell did not raise the defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction or insufficiency of service of process until she filed her brief in this Court. She only filed three motions prior to her appeal to this Court: (1) Motion for Additional Time to Plead, filed on July 18, 1991; (2) Motion to Set Aside Entry of Default Judgment filed on September 6, 1991; and (3) Motion to Set Aside Default [Judgment] filed on December 27, 1991. Since Terrell did not assert this defense by a Rule 12 motion within the prescribed 20 days, or in a responsive pleading or amendment thereof, Terrell waived these defenses. Terrell correctly asserts that she did not waive service of process or make an entry of appearance as set forth in M.R.C.P. 4(e). She also cites Barfield v. Mississippi State Bar Association, 547 So.2d 46 (Miss. 1989), in which this Court, citing Vining, said: default judgment may be granted in an attorney disciplinary proceeding, where formal complaint has been received, waiver of service of process and entry of appearance have been filed, no answer or any other responsive pleading has been filed, and motion for default judgment has been received. Id. at 49. However, Barfield does not state that the above circumstances are the only ones under which a default judgment may be entered; rather, when those circumstances are present, default judgment may be granted... . Id. (Emphasis added). It is not necessary that a waiver of service of process and entry of appearance be filed for default judgment to be properly entered. Default judgments are not favored as it is the policy of our judicial system to favor disposition of cases on their merits. Sartain v. White, 588 So.2d 204, 208 (Miss. 1991), citing Wheat v. Eakin, 491 So.2d 523, 525 (Miss. 1986). Nonetheless, the default judgment entered against Terrell was proper. Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 55, provides for a default judgment if a party has failed to plead or otherwise defend a claim asserted against her. Vining at 1048. Terrell failed to do just that. It cannot seriously be questioned that Terrell received the complaint; moreover, she cannot raise the defense of lack of personal jurisdiction at this stage of the proceedings. This assignment of error is without merit.