Rule 25 Civil Pretrials


Civil Pretrials


(A) In any civil action, the court may, in its discretion, with or without request or motion of a party, assign the case for pretrial conference. The court services department shall notify all counsel of record and any unrepresented parties, of the time and place of the pretrial conference. The parties and their counsel, if they are represented, shall appear before the court fully prepared to discuss and consider the following:

1. Possibility of settlement of the case

2. If a jury demand has been requested, the possibility of waiver of jury demand

3. Amendments to pleadings and outstanding motions

4. Any existing discovery problems

5. Stipulations of facts

6. Need for expert witnesses

7. Need for trial briefs

8. Determination of trial date and time required for trial

9. Jury instructions

(B) The court may prepare a written order reciting the action taken at the pretrial conference. The order, when filed, shall control the subsequent proceedings in the case unless it is modified in order to prevent manifest injustice to any of the parties.

(C) Unless a settlement is agreed upon in the pretrial conference, the court shall not refer to any settlement negotiation either directly or indirectly in any later proceedings.