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People use the word default as if it means a judgment already exists. New Jersey practice separates the concept into two distinct stages. The first stage is the entry of default under Rule 4:43 1. The second stage is a default judgment under Rule 4:43 2. The distinction matters because the legal effect, the available remedies, and the difficulty of fixing the problem change dramatically once judgment enters.

A default judgment is a court judgment entered against a defendant who did not respond to a lawsuit in time. In plain terms, the case moves forward without that defendant participating, and the plaintiff can obtain a judgment that carries the same force as any other judgment. In New Jersey civil cases, default practice is governed primarily by Rule 4:43, and the consequences can be immediate and serious once judgment is entered and collection tools become available.