Depends on the judge among other factors. Date filed and procedures used. The clerk indicated the judge sees everyone for a name change nowadays. Maybe someone changed their name to avoid something in the past or maybe a judge decided to follow due diligence.
Personally if I were the judge, I'd want a personal appearance to make sure the person is serious and to have a judicial record created. If you don't come to court, then you don't give a ####, case dismissed....
He just asked my wife the reason, is she escaping debt, does she have any criminal etc.... Pretty standard questions. He granted judgement the same day and provided 3 original court orders with several "true test" copies...