OTT LAW

All Opinions

11,970 opinions in the archive

AIG Agency, Inc., d/b/a Associated Insurance Group, Appellant, vs. Missouri General Insurance Agency, Inc., Jim Baxendale and Mitch O'Brien, Respondents.(2015)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictNovember 3, 3015#ED102096

affirmed
personal-injurymajority3,747 words

Ronald Wuebbeling, Respondent, vs. Jill Clark, f/k/a Jill Wuebbeling, Appellant.(2016)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictAugust 9, 2106#ED103501

affirmed
family-lawmajority5,654 words

Rodney Lee Lincoln, Appellant, vs. State of Missouri, Respondent.(2014)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictDecember 2, 2104#ED100987

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority4,922 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, v. James McGregory, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictMarch 10, 2026#ED113080

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority3,374 words

In re the matter of: A.L.P. and S.H.P., minors; Alicia Smith, Respondent, vs. Lora Martinez, Appellant.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriFebruary 24, 2026#SC101121

affirmed
family-lawmajority3,296 words

Christopher Hanshaw, Appellant, vs. Crown Equipment Corp., et al., Respondents.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriFebruary 24, 2026#SC101091

affirmed
personal-injurymajority2,703 words

Kathryn Torre-Stewart, Appellant/Plaintiff, v. The Washington University-St. Louis, Respondent/Defendant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 24, 2026#ED113602

affirmed
employmentmajority7,351 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. James Willis Peters, Appellant.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriFebruary 24, 2026#SC101218

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority3,993 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Deandre D. Walton, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 17, 2026#ED112976

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority1,670 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Gerald R. Nytes, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 17, 2026#ED113261

affirmed
criminal-lawmemorandum1,603 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, v. Elizabeth M. Speer, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 17, 2026#ED113172

reversed
criminal-lawmajority4,420 words

Derrie S. Williams, Appellant, v. State of Missouri, Respondent.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 10, 2026#ED113255

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority2,066 words

M.D.M, Appellant, v. A.W.S., Respondent.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 10, 2026#ED113141

affirmed
family-lawmajority3,425 words

Daniel T. Williams, Appellant, v. State of Missouri, Respondent.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 10, 2026#ED113233

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority1,774 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. James Keith Eggleston, Appellant.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriFebruary 3, 2026#SC101152

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority4,379 words

Arthur F. Daume, Jr., and Gayle C. Daume, Appellants, v. Thomas Szepanksi, et al., Respondents.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictFebruary 3, 2026#ED113073

affirmed
real-estatemajority2,252 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Amanda Joy Rogers, Appellant.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriFebruary 3, 2026#SC101172

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority3,308 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. David K. Duncan, Sr., Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictJanuary 27, 2026#ED113148

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority3,836 words

Sean Soendker Nicholson, Appellant/Cross-Respondent, vs. State of Missouri, et al., Respondents/Cross-Appellants.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 23, 2026#SC101308

reversed
constitutionalmajority3,990 words

In re: Brian Todd Goldstein, Respondent.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 23, 2026#SC101182

personal-injurymajority2,484 words

Mouna Apperson, f/k/a Nicholas Apperson, Appellant, vs. Natasha Kaminsky, et al., Respondents.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 23, 2026#SC101020

affirmed
personal-injurymajority4,488 words

Colleen Eikmeier and William S. Love, Appellants, vs. Granite Springs Home Owners Association, Inc. A Missouri Not-For-Profit Corp., Respondent.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 23, 2026#SC101161

affirmed
real-estatemajority4,531 words

Celestina Gamez, Respondent, v. EasyEx MO OFallon, LLC, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictJanuary 13, 2026#ED113623

affirmed

This Missouri appellate case addressed whether a company could set aside a default judgment that was entered against it more than one year earlier in an employment discrimination lawsuit. Celestina Gamez sued her former employer, EasyEx MO OFallon, LLC, claiming violations of the Missouri Human Rights Act and Workers' Compensation Law. After EasyEx was properly served but failed to respond, the trial court entered a default judgment in March 2024 awarding Gamez damages and attorney's fees. EasyEx did not attempt to challenge this judgment until April 2025—over one year later—when Gamez began collection efforts. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's denial of EasyEx's motion to set aside the default judgment. Under Missouri Rule 74.05(d), parties seeking to overturn a default judgment must act "within a reasonable time not to exceed one year after the entry of the default judgment." The court rejected EasyEx's argument that the one-year deadline should run from when they received notice of the judgment rather than when it was entered, emphasizing that defaulting parties forfeit their right to notice under Missouri law. The court also awarded Gamez attorney's fees for defending the appeal, since she was the prevailing party under the Missouri Human Rights Act. This decision reinforces that Missouri's one-year deadline for challenging default judgments is strictly enforced and cannot be extended based on claims of lack of notice. For businesses and other litigants, this case underscores the critical importance of maintaining current contact information with registered agents and monitoring for potential lawsuits. Once a default judgment is entered, parties have limited time to act, and waiting until collection efforts begin is likely too late to seek relief from the court.

employment-lawmajority474 words

E.N., individually and as next friend and on behalf of her minor child, N.N., et al., Appellants, v. Mike Kehoe, in his official capacity as Governor for the State of Missouri, et al., Respondents.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 13, 2026#SC100933

affirmed
insurancemajority4,213 words

Craig M. Wood, Appellant, vs. State of Missouri, Respondent.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 13, 2026#SC100874

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority5,199 words