Rule 8 Pretrial Conference

If the judge thinks it would help, they can ask both sides to come in for a meeting before the actual trial. This meeting is called a pretrial conference, and it's up to the judge whether to hold one.

At this meeting, the judge may try to narrow down what the case is really about. This means figuring out what both sides actually disagree on, so the trial can focus on just those issues instead of wasting time on things everyone already agrees on.

The judge might also ask each side to admit certain facts or agree that certain documents are valid. This can save time later, since neither side will need to prove something the other side already accepted as true.

Finally, the judge can use this meeting to handle anything else that might help the case move forward smoothly. The goal is to make the trial simpler, faster, and less confusing for everyone involved.