Rule 35.9 Adoption of Hearing Officer Recommendations Upon Failure To Appear At Trial

When someone objects to a hearing officer's recommendation but then doesn't show up for the scheduled trial, the judge doesn't just automatically side against them. Instead, the judge still reviews the hearing officer's findings and decides whether to accept them, reject them, or change parts of them.

This means the case moves forward even without the objecting party present. The judge looks at what the hearing officer recommended and makes a final call based on that record. Missing the trial date doesn't stop the process, but it does mean the person who didn't appear loses the chance to argue their side or explain their objection in person.

If you've filed an objection to a hearing officer's recommendation, it's important to attend your trial date. Not showing up means the judge will decide your case based only on the hearing officer's findings, without hearing anything further from you.