Texas Judge Awards $67,830 in Default Judgment for Auto Repair Dispute

An auto repair shop, operating as Full Flex Customs d/b/a All Out Off Road, Inc., filed a lawsuit against the vehicle owners and a lienholder, U.S. Bank National Association, concerning a 2019 Ram 3500 truck. The plaintiff alleged that in November 2020, the vehicle owners engaged their services for repairs and upgrades. By June 2021, the work was completed, and the plaintiff notified one vehicle owner the truck was ready for pickup and payment. However, the defendants allegedly abandoned the vehicle at the plaintiff's facility and failed to pay approximately $45,000 owed.

The plaintiff sought a declaratory judgment granting them ownership of the truck, authority to sell it, and a directive to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to transfer the title. One of the vehicle owners was served but did not appear in the case. The lienholder filed an untimely answer, which the court initially struck but the plaintiff later requested to withdraw that motion.

On January 13, 2025, the court ruled that the plaintiff held superior title to the Ram 3500 and had the authority to sell the vehicle. A final default judgment was entered on January 27, 2025, against all defendants, awarding the plaintiff a total of $67,830.00 for outstanding invoices, accrued storage fees, legal fees, and court costs. The lienholder subsequently filed a motion for a new trial, claiming a lack of notice for the non-jury trial date, but the court denied this motion in March 2025. A writ of execution was requested to enforce the judgment.