In re Marriage of Lai

Respondent-appellant, Antonio Lai, appeals the dismissal of his petition for rehearing as to his default judgment and seeks review of the underlying judgment for dissolution of marriage. He raises as issues whether: (1) the doctrine of res judicata precluded the circuit court from hearing his petition for rehearing on the merits; (2) the circuit court erred in defaulting respondent as a sanction for a discovery violation; and (3) the judgment for dissolution of marriage is so fundamentally unjust as to require reversal.

Carole and Antonio Lai were married on June 10, 1973. A daughter, Carla,…