Short answer. It depends who misses it. An unexcused failure by the plaintiff and counsel to appear causes dismissal of the action, with prejudice unless the court orders otherwise. An unexcused failure by the defendant and counsel instead lets the plaintiff present evidence ex parte, with judgment based on that evidence.
What the law says
It shall be the duty of the parties and their counsel to appear at the pre-trial, court-annexed mediation, and judicial dispute resolution, if necessary. The non-appearance of a party and counsel may be excused only for acts of God, force majeure, or duly substantiated physical inability.
Rule 18, Section 4 — Appearance of [p]arties. Read the full provision →
What the law says
A similar failure on the part of the defendant and counsel shall be cause to allow the plaintiff to present his or her evidence ex parte within ten calendar days from termination of the pre-trial, and the court to render judgment on the basis of the evidence offered.
Rule 18, Section 5 — Effect of failure to appear. Read the full provision →
Appearing at pre-trial is a duty, with a narrow excuse
The rule frames appearance as a genuine obligation: it shall be the duty of the parties and their counsel to appear at the pre-trial and any required mediation or dispute resolution. Excuses are narrow — non-appearance may be excused only for acts of God, force majeure, or duly substantiated physical inability, not for ordinary scheduling conflicts or personal convenience, however genuine the inconvenience may feel.
A representative can appear, but only with real authority
A party does not always have to appear personally — a representative may appear on behalf of a party — but that representative must be fully authorized in writing to enter into an amicable settlement, submit to alternative dispute resolution, and make stipulations or admissions of facts and documents. A representative without that specific written authority does not satisfy the appearance requirement, whatever their actual relationship to the party may be.
The plaintiff's unexcused absence can end the case entirely
If the plaintiff and counsel fail to appear without valid cause, the consequence is severe: dismissal of the action, and that dismissal is with prejudice, unless otherwise ordered by the court. A dismissal with prejudice bars refiling the same claim, which makes a plaintiff's absence from pre-trial a genuinely high-stakes lapse rather than a minor procedural slip anyone can simply shrug off.
The defendant's unexcused absence opens the door to ex parte evidence
A similar unexcused failure by the defendant and counsel does not dismiss anything — instead, it lets the plaintiff present his or her evidence ex parte within ten calendar days from termination of the pre-trial, with the court then rendering judgment on the basis of the evidence offered. The defendant effectively forfeits the chance to contest the plaintiff's case at that stage, and the resulting judgment rests entirely on evidence the defendant never had a chance to challenge.