P1104 Service of a statement setting forth damages demanded by a plaintiff two days before the hearing on a motion seeking to take a defendant's default was not sufficient to satisfy due process, so the default judgment must be vacated; a default judgment may not exceed the amount demanded in such a statement, even if the default resulted from a discovery sanction striking the answer; vacating the default without reinstating the answer would be an empty gesture, so upon vacation of the default, the answer must be reinstated; mandatory relief from attorney neglect under Code of Civil Procedure section 473 (b) applies to default entered following the striking of an answer as a discovery sanction.CitationMATERA v MCLEOD (Mandatory Relief) 145 CA4 44 [See: CCP 473(b); Mullane v Central Hanover 339 US 306; Greenup v Rodman 42 C3 822; Metropolitan v Casa de Palms 31 CA4 1481; Auto Equity Sales v Superior Court 57 C2 450]
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