What is a default judgement?

A default judgment is accurately described as a court order that is issued when one party in a legal proceeding fails to respond to a complaint or a summons. This typically happens when the respondent does not appear in court or does not submit the required documentation to contest the claims made by the other party.

In such cases, the court may grant a default judgment in favor of the party that did respond, usually the plaintiff. This ruling acknowledges that the lack of response indicates that the respondent concedes to the claims made against them, allowing the court to decide the case without further input from that party.

The other options do not align with the correct definition. A ruling in favor of the respondent would imply that they participated in the case, which contradicts the premise of a default judgment. A decision made by a jury suggests a trial process that involves jury deliberation, which is not applicable here since default judgments are decided without a trial. Lastly, a settlement proposed by the court would imply a negotiation between parties, which does not pertain to situations where one party has failed to engage with the lawsuit at all.