United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. State Supply Co.

BASKIN, Judge.

United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company [USF & G] appeals the entry of final judgment on the court’s own motion at pretrial conference. The trial court relied on several reasons for its final judgment: USF & G’s failure to submit a memorandum setting forth its entitlement to jury trial; USF & G’s failure to. appear at pretrial conference; and the statements proffered by counsel during a pretrial status conference. These grounds are insufficient to justify the entry of a final judgment against USF & G: 1) a directed verdict in plaintiff’s favor is too severe a sanction to…