Neylan v. Vorwald

These consolidated appeals are from identical orders denying the plaintiff-appellants’ motion for trial and to set aside orders dismissing their related personal injury actions for want of prosecution. The *483orders of dismissal were entered, without notice to the parties or their counsel, more than four years before the motion was made. The parties received no notice that the orders had been entered, and continued trial preparation and settlement negotiations. Because we conclude that the orders of dismissal were void, and that the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to vacate them,…