A federal judge in Pennsylvania this week sided with Amazon.com after the retailer challenged a default judgment lodged against it in a wrongful death lawsuit, finding the plaintiffs had not actually served the complaint as they claimed.

In a Tuesday opinion, U.S. District Judge Julia K. Munley of the Middle District of Pennsylvania vacated the default judgment that was entered in favor of the plaintiffs, Shawn and Stephanie McLaughlin, who filed a wrongful death suit against Amazon for selling a playpen that allegedly caused the death of their daughter. The court granted the couple's default judgment request in August 2023, after Amazon failed to answer to or defend against the McLaughlins' summons and complaint, the opinion said.