Meindl v. Genesys Pacific Technologies, Inc.

OPINION

DIANA GRIBBON MOTZ, Circuit Judge:

This case raises the question of whether a default judgment entered by a state court must be accorded full faith and credit when offered as the basis for a creditor’s claim in a subsequent federal bankruptcy proceeding. If a default judgment would be entitled to preclusive effect under state law it must be given such effect in bankruptcy claims allowance proceedings, absent express congressional intent to create an exception to the full faith and credit statute for such proceedings. We find that unless the default judgment is void, Ha-wai’i law would…