His plea of guilt can be used as an admission. He will then have the task of explaining.

Good question!

First: If you have homeowner's insurance, notify them immediately in writing. They may cover your son. Better yet, hire an attorney to write the letter. It is called a "tender letter." It will not cost you much to have an attorney write the tender letter.

Second: If there is no homeowners policy or if the insurance company "disclaims", definitely retain an attorney. Your son must defend himself. The sums you will ultimately pay with an attorney at your side will probably be far less than the amount of a default judgment.

Third: This may come as a surprise but the injured party's attorney probably doesn't know ANYTHING about your son. He has taken his client's word at face-value and perhaps has reviewed a handful of documents. The attorney is HOPING your son has assets or that there is a homeowners insurance policy which he and his client can tap into. If there is no homeowner's insurance, a good attorney will have your son execute an "Affidavit of No Insurance." The attorney will also show the Plantiff's attorney that your son has limited finances/assets. The Plaintiff's attorney most likely has taken the case on a 1/3 contingency fee basis. Once the Plaintiff's attorney gets this information, he will realize that neither her nor his client will be able to recover any money. In that case, he may very well suggest that his client discontinue or accept a tiny, "nuisance value' settlement.

Hope this helps!