WRONGFULLY ENTERED JUDGMENTS

FINAL JUDGMENT ORDER.  Final judgment orders are not necessarily final if there is a reason that the judgment should not have been entered in the first place.  TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO VACATE A FINAL JUDGMENT ORDER.  You are required to act "diligently" in seeking to set aside a judgment which means you need to take action quickly.  You are only allowed 15 days from the judgment in a bench trial or verdict in a jury trial to file a Motion for Rehearing and 30 days from the judgment to appeal.  HOWEVER, if the judgment is entered based upon a default, you have more time but you may be limited to 1 year based upon the reason for the request to vacate the judgment.  The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to argue that you were "diligent".  The attorney knows what to look for in your judgments to determine if there is a reason to vacate the judgment and how best to do so.