Texas Court Enters Default Judgment in Vehicle Title Dispute, Awards $2,500
One driver filed a complaint after purchasing a vehicle but being unable to get a title from the state's motor vehicle department. The department refused to issue the title, leading the driver to seek a court order. The court entered a judgment in favor of the driver after the department did not appear for trial. The driver was awarded damages.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $2,500
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2021
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Other
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Accident
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $2,500 is below the median of $14,473 for other cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $4,770 to $42,056, based on 190 cases in our database.
Case Overview
In January 2020, a plaintiff filed a complaint against the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) in Texas. The plaintiff alleged they had lawfully purchased a vehicle but were unable to obtain a certificate of title because they could not comply with the department's standard requirements for producing paperwork. The TxDMV had refused to issue the title, prompting the plaintiff to seek legal remedy.
The plaintiff requested that the court order the defendant to issue a certificate of title for the vehicle. A non-jury trial was set for January 2021 via video conference. The defendant did not appear at the scheduled trial, and on January 26, 2021, the court entered a final default judgment in favor of the plaintiff. The court awarded the plaintiff $2,500 in damages.
Understanding This Case
- This case went to trial and resulted in a jury verdict. Verdicts can yield higher awards but carry the risk of receiving nothing if the jury rules against the plaintiff.
- This case was resolved in Harris County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2021, this case reflects the legal and economic conditions of that period, including medical costs, insurance practices, and jury award trends at the time.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome differs from typical similar cases
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