As an update to a blog I posted in January, 2014, in which I discussed a default judgment I secured for my client against Bank of America, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court just ordered that the default judgment shall remain in place. I filed a lawsuit against Bank of America in Delaware County, PA for predatory lending and unfair trade practices. The bank failed to answer the lawsuit and I moved for a default judgment. Of course, the bank appealed, asking the trial judge to allow it to file an Answer, but the trial judge refused. The bank unsuccessfully appealed to the Superior Court and then to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, also unsuccessfully.
This means that the case can now proceed to a jury trial to determine the amount of my clients’ monetary damages. Certain discovery issues need to be worked out; primarily I am in the process of securing testimony from a Bank of America Corporate Representative regarding the net worth of the company in 2012 and 2013.
This is because I included a claim for punitive damages, which are used to punish the defendant for wrongful conduct. One of the ways that a jury is allowed to and able to determine an appropriate dollar amount for damages is to consider the net worth of the defendant. The Bank is, of course, objecting to such an inquiry, and is not agreeing to produce such a representative; again, the trial judge will decide the scope of the deposition testimony. I am hopeful for trial in January/February 2015. I will keep you posted.
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