Padam Khanna v. Baljit Randhawa

**What Happened** Padam Khanna, an attorney, sued Baljit Randhawa claiming there was a conspiracy to take away his law license in retaliation for something he did. Khanna filed his case under a federal law that allows people to sue when they believe government officials violated their civil rights. When Randhawa didn't respond to the lawsuit, Khanna asked the court for an automatic win (called a default judgment). **What the Court Decided** Both the lower court and the appeals court said no to Khanna's request for an automatic victory. The appeals court agreed with the lower court's decision to deny the default judgment. This meant Khanna couldn't win his case simply because the other side didn't respond - he would still need to prove his claims in court. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that even when someone doesn't defend themselves in a lawsuit, courts won't automatically grant victory to the person suing. Workers who file retaliation claims must still present solid evidence to prove their case, regardless of whether their employer responds to the lawsuit. Simply filing a complaint isn't enough - you must be able to back up your claims with facts.