Arkansas Judge Orders Hunter Biden to Appear in Court in Child-Support Case, Threatens Contempt

An Arkansas judge issued an order for Hunter Biden to appear in court as part of an ongoing child-support case and is considering holding him in contempt should he continue to refuse to answer questions to the court’s satisfaction.

Biden will appear before the judge in person on July 10 in Batesville, the Arkansas Times reported, two weeks before his child-support trial begins. The trial will address whether Lunden Roberts, the mother of Biden’s child who is turning five, can change her and the child’s surname to Biden. It will also address a request from the president’s son to reduce child support payments.

According to Biden, there has been “a substantial change” in his financial circumstances, including his income. Roberts opposes this request.

The judge in the case, Holly Meyer, believes Biden has not adequately addressed certain questions and wants to hold him in contempt. A holding of civil or criminal contempt could see Meyer punish Biden with up to six months in jail until he fully answers questions to the court’s satisfaction. Meyer could also award attorney’s fees and other costs to Roberts in the amount of $20,000, or impose a separate fine.

A contempt finding could also lead to the judge striking Biden’s request to reduce child support as well as his response arguing against the name change.

“[Such an action would be] consistent with the court’s long-standing ability to refuse to hear a party when he is in contempt for disobeying its order,” the judge said, according to the Times.

The judge also warned Biden that his ability to pay may become a critical issue in the contempt proceeding.

Biden is involved in other legal proceedings. He filed a lawsuit in March against the computer repairman, John Paul Mac Isaac, who turned over files on a laptop Hunter left at his shop to the New York Post ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Federal investigators are also looking into Biden and considering tax and gun charges.