Bradford v. Bradford
Jeff Bradford appealed a default judgment in a divorce suit, contending he was entitled to notice of the trial setting due to his prior appearance. The trial court had denied his motion for a new trial. The appellate court determined that Bradford had indeed appeared in the lawsuit through his participation in temporary hearings, agreeing to temporary orders, and providing testimony. Consequently, the court found he was entitled to due process notice of the default judgment hearing, which he did not receive. The appellate court concluded that the trial court abused its discretion by denying Bradford's motion for new trial, thus reversing its judgment and remanding the case for further proceedings.