Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia

Re: Alimony

Your message does not say in which jurisdiction the hearing is, MA or VA; but unless you are incapacitated, you generally need to appear. Orders in divorce law usually don't automatically change because you are out of work. The Court needs to be told. If you don't appear, you stand the chance of being held in contempt; once that happens, you have a judgment against you and that is difficult to reverse. If you can't make it, you can try to negotiate with your ex-wife for a different date, or call the court and see how you can arrange to have a continuance. Your defense is that you couldn't pay because you have no (or little income) but that will have to be properly presented before the court. You can't rely on what your ex-wife "knows."

Otherwise, you need to file a Complaint for Modification (as it is demominated in Massachusetts and most other jurisdictions) asking that alimony be reduced or eliminated RETROACTIVELY to the date your income ceased. That is a separate case which will be heard on a separate track.