OTT LAW

All Opinions

15,203 opinions in the archive

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

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

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

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 23, 2026#SC101182

personal-injurymajority2,484 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

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

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

State ex rel. Catherine Hanaway, Relator, vs. The Honorable Craig Hellmann, Respondent.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 13, 2026#SC101132

remanded
criminal-lawmajority2,445 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

State of Missouri, Respondent, v. Jeffrey Lematty, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictJanuary 13, 2026#ED112791

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority6,723 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Christopher M. Grimes, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictJanuary 13, 2026#ED113311

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority2,901 words

In re: Mark W. Arensberg, Respondent.(2026)

Supreme Court of MissouriJanuary 13, 2026#SC101157

modified
personal-injurymajority3,367 words

Harry Little, Appellant, vs. State of Missouri, Respondent.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictJanuary 13, 2026#ED113257

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority3,574 words

K.A.C. by and through, ASHLEY ACOSTA, NEXT FRIEND, and MICHAEL CRITES, JR., Appellants v. MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL, ET AL., Respondents(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern DistrictJanuary 12, 2026#SD38943

affirmed
personal-injurymajority3,654 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Dustin Robinson, Appellant.(2026)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictJanuary 6, 2026#ED113160

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority1,045 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Jayelyn Z. Rivers, Appellant.(2025)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictDecember 30, 2025#ED113150

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority1,442 words

In re: The Honorable Matthew E.P. Thornhill, Respondent.(2025)

Supreme Court of MissouriDecember 29, 2025#SC101374

criminal-lawmajority4,705 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Richard Neil Burkett, Appellant.(2025)

Supreme Court of MissouriDecember 29, 2025#SC101071

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority4,722 words

State of Missouri, Appellant, vs. Israel Barrera, Respondent.(2025)

Supreme Court of MissouriDecember 29, 2025#SC101178

affirmed
real-estatemajority2,686 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Isis S. Jones, Appellant.(2025)

Supreme Court of MissouriDecember 29, 2025#SC101104

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority3,971 words

Karla K. Allsberry, Appellant, vs. Patrick S. Flynn, et al., Respondents.(2025)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictDecember 23, 2025#ED113270

affirmed
employmentmajority5,996 words

Missouri Medical Options, LLC, Appellant, vs. Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Respondent.(2025)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictDecember 23, 2025#ED113472

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority1,279 words

State of Missouri, Respondent, vs. Emonne W. Dillon, Appellant.(2025)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictDecember 23, 2025#ED112946

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority2,298 words

Demetrius L. Davis, Appellant, vs. State of Missouri, Respondent.(2025)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictDecember 23, 2025#ED112275

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority2,420 words

S.C., Respondent, vs. Gabe Gore, City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney, Chief Robert J. Tracy, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Chief of Police, Defendants, Colonel Michael Turner, Superintendent Missouri State Highway Patrol, Appellant.(2025)

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern DistrictDecember 16, 2025#ED113332

affirmed
criminal-lawmajority2,391 words