A judge has ruled that Hunter Biden must be present at all court hearings related to his ongoing paternity case in Arkansas. Independence County Circuit Judge Holly Meyer informed attorneys representing Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts, the mother of his 4-year-old daughter Navy, that both clients should attend every hearing.

During a Zoom call on Monday, Judge Meyer expressed frustration over the slow progress of the litigation, insisting that she would no longer excuse clients. Hunter, 53, is now required to appear at the next in-person hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 1.

The ruling followed a discussion between the judge and Hunter Biden's attorney, Brent Langdon, regarding a laptop potentially containing income tax records. Langdon informed the judge that the device, associated with his client, was still in a repair shop.

Judge Meyer pushed Langdon to confirm whether the laptop belonged to Hunter, but Langdon avoided answering the question, distancing himself from "all that stuff" related to the notorious device.

This exchange occurred after Langdon filed a motion seeking a restraining order against Garret Ziegler, a former advisor to President Donald Trump and founder of the nonprofit Marco Polo. Lunden Roberts enlisted Ziegler as an expert witness on the contents of Hunter's laptop. Ziegler, a known Biden adversary, produced a 644-page analysis of the laptop last year.

Judge Meyer ultimately declined to issue the temporary restraining order against Ziegler. Lunden Roberts, a former stripper, is suing Hunter Biden for child support for their daughter Navy, born in August 2018.