Read the hearing notice or court appearance notice very carefully.
The notice should tell you:
- The date, time, and place of the hearing and instruction telling you what to do. If you DO NOT show up, the judge or the hearing's officer may issue a default judgment against you. A default judgment means that you lose the case and you will not be able to get back into court to explain your side of the story.
- The issues to be covered at the hearing or court appearance. You should know what you are suing for or what you are being sued for.