What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WI
I was sued by my tenant for a security deposit issue, she failed to show up to court on the court date and the case was dismissed, later to be reopened by the plaintiff saying she was ill for the court date. So on the new court date my wife and 3 kids were ill and I had to take care of them as I wasn't sick so I missed the court date and a default judgment was entered against me, and I had 15 days to pay the plaintiff. I motioned to reopen the case for said reasons and was denied even a hearing to reopen by the judge stating the case was already reopened once. Still sour about the motion denial I put off the payment to try to figure out my next step, missing the 15 day period to pay. Well yesterday the county sheriff left me a message saying he had papers for me, (he was serving me). Figuring it had to do with not paying the plaintiff I looked myself up online and sure enough there is a contempt hearing set on this issue. I did not receive any papers yet on the hearing, but the sheriff is looking for me (to serve me). Disgusted that I have to pay the plaintiff and i don't agree with it, I swallowed my pride and wrote out a check to the plaintiff back dated to a date within the 15 day pay period with the case number and paid in full in the memo and dropped it off at her house taped to the door. My hopes are that she cashes the check and then I can move to dismiss the contempt hearing once "I find out about it." Now I know that I am no angel in this, but am I going about this the right way? What can I expect if she doesn't cash the check and I have to go to court, on the default judgment papers it said I could face jail time or fines of $2000 a day. What's my next step?
It really irks me the she wins this case, and that it wasn't reopened for me after it was reopened for her, especially since I think the plaintiff and judge are friends. (No evidence of that but, I gathered that by the way she talked about him in mediation.)
I was sued by my tenant for a security deposit issue, she failed to show up to court on the court date and the case was dismissed, later to be reopened by the plaintiff saying she was ill for the court date. So on the new court date my wife and 3 kids were ill and I had to take care of them as I wasn't sick so I missed the court date and a default judgment was entered against me, and I had 15 days to pay the plaintiff. I motioned to reopen the case for said reasons and was denied even a hearing to reopen by the judge stating the case was already reopened once. Still sour about the motion denial I put off the payment to try to figure out my next step, missing the 15 day period to pay. Well yesterday the county sheriff left me a message saying he had papers for me, (he was serving me). Figuring it had to do with not paying the plaintiff I looked myself up online and sure enough there is a contempt hearing set on this issue. I did not receive any papers yet on the hearing, but the sheriff is looking for me (to serve me). Disgusted that I have to pay the plaintiff and i don't agree with it, I swallowed my pride and wrote out a check to the plaintiff back dated to a date within the 15 day pay period with the case number and paid in full in the memo and dropped it off at her house taped to the door. My hopes are that she cashes the check and then I can move to dismiss the contempt hearing once "I find out about it." Now I know that I am no angel in this, but am I going about this the right way? What can I expect if she doesn't cash the check and I have to go to court, on the default judgment papers it said I could face jail time or fines of $2000 a day. What's my next step?
It really irks me the she wins this case, and that it wasn't reopened for me after it was reopened for her, especially since I think the plaintiff and judge are friends. (No evidence of that but, I gathered that by the way she talked about him in mediation.)