What happens if someone moves home to avoid a payment hearing?
<p>If legal action has been started against someone, what happens if they move homes? For example, if an order for a defendant to pay someone money is made, what would happen if they just moved homes so they can't be served?</p>
<p>I know if someone fails to show up to a payment hearing they can be arrested. However how would they even know if they were served? Even with registered mail, usually whoever opens the door is asked to sign.</p>

<p>Since the legal process has started, the defendant will have been served and there will be a record of their address (refer to the <a href="https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/168_2009_01#part4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Supreme Court civil rules, part 4</a>). That would be their lawyer if they are represented by a lawyer – I assume that's not the case in your scenario – or their address (any address, within 30 km of the registry, or failing that, some accessible address and email, fax or a BC postal address). Either party can change their address by filing Form 9 with the other party. If you just take off without serving a change of address, then legally speaking, you've been served even if you didn't get the notice, if the notice is subject to ordinary service (<a href="https://wiki.clicklaw.bc.ca/index.php?title=How_Do_I_Personally_Serve_Someone_with_Legal_Documents%3F" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the usual case</a>). An order to pay up can be served by ordinary service. Service is complete on the day that is it left at the address (or a day or two later depending on time and when holidays and Saturdays are), or a week later if it is mailed.</p>

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