What often follows when a defendant ignores a civil complaint?

When a defendant ignores a civil complaint, the proper legal recourse for the plaintiff is to seek a default judgment. This occurs when the defendant fails to respond or appear in court within the time frame specified by the court. A default judgment essentially means that the court accepts the plaintiff’s claims as true due to the defendant's absence and may rule in favor of the plaintiff without requiring a trial.

This process is significant because it allows the plaintiff to obtain a judgment without the necessity of proving their case in court, streamlining the process when a defendant does not participate. It highlights the importance of defendants responding to legal actions, as failing to do so can lead to substantial consequences, including automatic loss of the case against them.

While the other options present possible outcomes in civil cases, they do not directly follow the specific scenario of a defendant ignoring a civil complaint in the same way that seeking a default judgment does, hence emphasizing the gravity of the defendant's failure to respond.