What happens in a court hearing if the defendant doesn't show up?

Any time a court reviews a motion to change parenting time it must independently evaluate the parenting time statute and the best interest factors. However, your testimony cannot be rebutted as the other parent is absent. That is the basis for you chances of success improving. As a matter of practical law, your modification request will likely be granted if the other party does not appear. Child support is based upon a number of factors. However, the most important are the income of the parties and the number of overnights each parent spends with the child(ren). Therefore, for the same reasons set forth above, a failure of a party to appear means your testimony is not opposed. Daniel Findling