Korpas v. Hungary, Republic of

Filing 6

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER denying 5 Motion for Default Judgment. Signed by District Judge Julie A. Robinson on 5/10/2024. Mailed to pro se party Laszlo Korpas by regular mail. (kas)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
LASZLO KORPAS,
Plaintiff,
v.

Case No. 24-2087-JAR-ADM

REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY,
Defendant.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Before the Court is pro se Plaintiff Laszlo Korpas’s Motion for Default Judgment (Doc.
5). Plaintiff seeks default judgment in this case based on Defendant Republic of Hungary’s
failure to answer the summons “within the proscribed time period.”1 The Court liberally
construes Plaintiff’s motion2 as an application for clerk’s entry of default because a clerk’s entry
of default must precede any motion for default judgment under Fed. R. Civ. P. 55.3 Generally,
when a party fails to plead or otherwise defend, and that fact is made to appear by affidavit or
otherwise, default should be entered against that party.4
However, in this case 28 U.S.C. § 1608 governs service, the time to answer, and default
because Defendant is a foreign government. Under the statute, Defendant’s responsive pleading
is due 60 days after service. According to the summons return, the Amended Complaint was
served on April 5, 2024; therefore, Defendant’s time to answer has not yet expired. Moreover,
under the statute:

1

Doc. 5 at 1.

2

See Requena v. Roberts, 893 F.3d 1195, 1205 (10th Cir. 2018) (setting forth liberal pleading standard that
applies to pro se filings).
3

Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a).

4

Id.

No judgment by default shall be entered by a court of the United
States or of a State against a foreign state, a political subdivision
thereof, or an agency or instrumentality of a foreign state, unless
the claimant establishes his claim or right to relief by evidence
satisfactory to the court. A copy of any such default judgment
shall be sent to the foreign state or political subdivision in the
manner prescribed for service in this section.5
Accordingly, Plaintiff’s motion for default judgment must be denied.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED BY THE COURT that Plaintiff Laszlo Korpas’s
Motion for Default Judgment (Doc. 5) is denied.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: May 10, 2024
S/ Julie A. Robinson
JULIE A. ROBINSON
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

5

28 U.S.C. § 1608(e).

2