U.S. Senior Judge James Moody feigned surprise as he addressed the empty defense table in Hammond federal court Tuesday, the date scheduled for the start of the state of Indiana's civil trial against local Democratic icon Robert Pastrick.

"Where are the defendants?" Moody joked without a smile.

Surprising no one, the former East Chicago mayor and former aide James Fife III did not come to Hammond federal court Tuesday to defend themselves against the lawsuit, which seeks to hold the men civilly liable for $24 million in public money spent on the sidewalks-for-votes scheme before the 1999 election. Pastrick's lawyer, Mike Bosch, said last week the defendants would not come to court, instead allowing Moody to enter a default judgment and decide how much money they owe.

The federal court clerk entered the judgment. State lawyers and Patrick Collins, the attorney hired by the state to run the case, have until June 2 to file papers proposing damages against Fife and Pastrick. Potential damages and remedies will be addressed at a hearing slated for June 9.

Attorney General Greg Zoeller, who inherited the case from former Attorney General Steve Carter, said the case is still "significant," even though Pastrick and Fife defaulted.

"I do think that it'll still remain as one of the most significant cases the attorney general's office has ever taken," Zoeller said.

At the hearing's end, Collins asked Moody about trying to serve notice of a default judgment on Frank Kollintzas, the former East Chicago City councilman who fled to Greece after his criminal conviction in the Sidewalk Six scandal.

"You'd have to write it out in Greek, though, wouldn't you?" Moody joked.

Collins gave little reaction.

"That's kind of a joke," Moody said.