Washington Supreme Court Denies Review in Case Involving Default Judgment

In Vanderstoep v. Guthrie, the Clark County Superior Court had entered a default judgment against defendants which included approximately $70,000 in economic damages and $300,000 in noneconomic damages.  After the Superior Court refused to set aside the default, an appeal was pursued by Megan Ferris and Leslie Kocher-Moar of MacMillan Scholz & Marks with regard to the noneconomic damages portion of the judgment.  On September 19, 2017, the Washington Court of Appeals, Division II, issued a lengthy published opinion reversing the Superior Court’s denial of the motion to set aside the noneconomic damages portion of the default judgment.   Plaintiffs petitioned for review by the Washington Supreme Court.  On February 7, 2018, the Washington Supreme Court denied review, letting stand the Court of Appeal’s determination that the Superior Court should have granted defendants’ motion and set aside the noneconomic damages portion of the default judgment.