Howard v. Holiday Inns, Inc.

Rhodes, Justice:

The plaintiffs-respondents commenced this action for conversion of an automobile against the defendant-appellant by service of process on defendant’s Registered Agent for Process. After the expiration of the 20 days permitted for answering, the plaintiffs obtained an order from the circuit judge declaring the defendant to be in default and ordering that a hearing be scheduled for the determination of the amount of damages. Twenty-five thousand dollars actual and punitive damages was prayed for in the complaint.

Thereafter, before a hearing was set on the amount of damages, the…