said by moonpuppy:said by vpoko:Didn't your point have something to do with bench warrants, which aren't issued for defendants in civil cases?
What I meant was people that do not show up for civil cases or arbitration have their cases decided immediately and the judge can dispose of the case quickly. When a person doesn't show up for traffic court, the judge issues a bench warrant and is done with the case rather quickly. The article was stating how a judge could go through cases at a rate of 1 every 7 minutes.
said by vpoko:Witnesses can be compelled to testify and brought to court on a bench warrant if need be, but parties involved in the case (even if they're also witnesses) are not, they would simply have a default judgement issued against them.
So can claimants to a case since they themselves are witnesses. If you intend to sue someone, and intend to question them, you can make them show up.
You cannot. The best you can do is win the case by default if they fail to show.
