Janssen v. Luu

Opinion

VOGEL (Miriam A.), J.

A plaintiff filed and served a municipal court complaint for damages “in an amount in excess of $3,000.00, and according to proof at time of trial." The defendants failed to answer and a default judgment was entered for $24,825.04, an amount within the municipal court’s jurisdiction. The defendants’ motion to vacate the judgment was denied, and that order was affirmed by the appellate department of the superior court. We reverse, holding that municipal court defendants are entitled to the same fundamental fairness as superior court defendants, and thus must be…