IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF RIDGEWAY
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF RIDGEWAY
JEPALOON
Plaintiff,
v.
CRIMZOH,
Defendant.
___________________________/
CIVIL DIVISION
CASE NO.: 01-2024-CV-002214
JUDGE: HON. TURNTABLE5000
ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR
DEFAULT JUDGMENT
THIS MATTER came before the Court on Plaintiff, Jepaloon’s Motion for Default Judg-
ment. Jepaloon entered a Civil Complaint against Defendant crimzoh and Corporal Arthur_Chen
of the Ridgeway County Sheriff’s Office served Defendant on January 29, 2024. The Court per-
mitted a period of five days, not including the date of service, for the entry of an answer to the
Complaint. On February 4, 2024, the deadline for the submission of a response expired and on
February 13, 2024, an entry of default was placed. On February 12, 2024, Jepaloon submitted the
Motion, Defendant having failed to enter an answer to the Complaint or agree to a settlement
within the appropriate deadline. Based on the foregoing, Plaintiff’s Motion is GRANTED, for the
reasons explained therein.
I. BACKGROUND
Plaintiff is a resident of the State of Ridgeway. Defendant is a resident of the State of
Ridgeway. Jepaloon alleges in his Complaint that on January 29, 2024, he was detained by an
Officer of the Palmer Police Department where the scene was suddenly ambushed by an armed
individual who shot and killed several people. The same armed individual then took Jepaloon’s
firearm, his boxes of ammunition, including boxes of nine millimeter rounds and a pack of twelve
gauge shotgun shells, and his coffee.
Jepaloon submitted the Complaint before the Court, alleging both a claim of wrongful
death, and a claim of trover against the Defendant. Jepaloon sought that this Court award actual
and compensatory damages. This Court granted summons, to which Defendant subsequently ap-
peared on. Plaintiff and Defendant then began settlement talks where both agreed to the following:
Plaintiff will dismiss the case so long as a total of five-hundred and thirty-eight dollars ($538)
would be transmitted to the Plaintiff on or by February 8, 2024. Both parties signed this settlement
on February 1, 2024. Plaintiff then retracted the settlement on February 5, 2024. Such a retraction
was sound as the conditions had not been fulfilled. Defendant did not enter any response to the
Complaint. Plaintiff submitted a Motion for Default Judgment on February 12, 2024. On February
13, 2024, upon the motion of the Plaintiff, the Court made an entry of default on all causes of
action.
II. LEGAL STANDARD
According to Ridgeway Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a), parties may move to obtain default
judgment. Such rule states:
“When a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead
or otherwise defend as provided by these rules and that fact is made to appear by affidavit
or otherwise, the clerk shall enter his default.”
It has long been noted that the Ridgeway’s Rules of Civil Procedure have been “directly
modeled after those of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts” which resembles the Federal Rules
of Civil Procedure. Order Granting Mot. For Default Judgment, Arthur_Chen v. BlissfullMotion,
RSC-CV-2181 (2024). Due to the “mirroring of these rules,” it is appropriate for this court “to rely
on federal precedent to guide its interpretation of relative issues.” Lazerify v. StudsPerSecond, 1
Rid. 101, 104 (2023); see also Titanic v. Nev, 1 Rid. 80, 84 (2023).
Generally, our courts have analyzed three requirements that must be satisfied prior to grant-
ing a motion for default judgment: (1) a party must have failed to respond or otherwise make any
attempt to defend against an action; (2) an entry of default must have been established by affidavit
or otherwise; and (3) a party must have applied for default judgment after the presiding judge has
made an entry of default. See N.Y. Life Ins. Co. v. Brown, 84 F.3d 137, 141 (5th Cir. 1996)).
III. ANALYSIS
Plaintiff has met all three requirements in order to qualify for a default judgment. Defend-
ant failed to answer and make any attempt to defend themselves regarding the action against them.
The presiding magistrate entered default pursuant to Ridgeway Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a). As
such, it is appropriate for this court to enter default judgment against Defendant.
Plaintiff has filed a well-pleaded complaint that comports with the Ridgeway Rules of Civil
Procedure. Plaintiff has “state[d] a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Lazerify, 1 Rid.
101, 104-105 (2023) (citing Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (citation omitted)). As a
result, when the facts are read as true, it creates a right to the relief requested by Plaintiff in the
Complaint. Defendant’s failure to answer or show any indication of their willingness to respond
to the civil complaint brings the judicial process to a stop. Such a delay cannot be tolerated for
only litigants stand to suffer from the inexpedient and unwilling nature of defendants to comply
with our adversarial system of law.
Based on these factors, the Court concludes that the default judgment is appropriate to
remedy Plaintiff’s injuries by awarding them judgment as well as actual and compensatory dam-
ages.
Furthermore, the Court finds that Defendant made no attempt to show cause as to why
default judgment should not be entered.
IV. CONCLUSION
Accordingly, the Court concludes that Plaintiff is entitled to default judgment against De-
fendant as to liability, damages, sanctions, and attorney’s fees. The Court therefore GRANTS
Plaintiff’s Motion for Default Judgment. The Court further ORDERS that Plaintiff is entitled to
be awarded damages in the amount of $2,038 plus court costs, and expenses in the amount of
$2,038.
SO ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED in chambers in Milton, Ridgeway
County, Ridgeway, this 16th day of February 2024.
TURNTABLE5000
MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Copies to: Plaintiff / Defendant
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF RIDGEWAY
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF RIDGEWAY
JEPALOON
Plaintiff,
v.
CRIMZOH,
Defendant.
___________________________/
CIVIL DIVISION
CASE NO.: 01-2024-CV-002214
JUDGE: HON. TURNTABLE5000
FINAL JUDGMENT
In accordance with Ridgeway Rule of Civil Procedure 40 and this Court’s order dated the
same day, the Court enters this Final Judgment that this case is DISMISSED with prejudice.
SO ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED in chambers in Milton, Ridgeway
County, Ridgeway, this 16th day of February 2024.
TURNTABLE5000
MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Copies to: Counsel of Record
