What it means
A default judgment is a judgment entered in favour of a claimant because the defendant failed to file a defence (or appear) within the time allowed after being served. The court can decide the matter without a hearing on the merits. Default judgments are common in debt recovery. A defendant who was unaware of the claim or had a genuine defence may apply to have the judgment set aside, but they must usually act promptly and explain the delay. Once final, a default judgment can be enforced like any other.
How it's used
When the debtor ignored the statement of claim for over a month, the creditor applied for and obtained a default judgment.