Heather R. Wilder v. Joseph C. Wilder

This appeal concerns a long-running domestic matter. Heather R. Wilder (“Mother”) and
Joseph C. Wilder (“Father”) were issued a final judgment of divorce by the Circuit Court
for Knox County (“the Trial Court”) in 2010. Issues concerning child support have
persisted since then. In the most recent chapter, the Trial Court allowed Mother’s attorney
to withdraw five days before trial but denied her request for a continuance. The Trial Court
subsequently entered its final order. Mother appeals. We find that the Trial Court abused
its discretion in denying Mother a reasonable continuance. We vacate the Trial Court’s
judgment and remand for a new trial to be conducted after Mother has had a reasonable
continuance in which to try to retain counsel or otherwise prepare for trial pro se.