Rule 3-306 Pretrial conference; scheduling order.

A judge can call both sides to court for a meeting before the trial actually starts. This is called a pretrial conference. The goal is to help move the case along faster and sort out issues early. Normally, you don't need to bring witnesses to this meeting unless the judge specifically asks for them.

The judge can also set up a schedule for how the case will move forward. This schedule can set deadlines for things like adding new people to the lawsuit, changing the paperwork that started the case, filing and arguing motions, and finishing up discovery (the process of gathering evidence and information from the other side).

The schedule can also include dates for other meetings or hearings before the trial, and it can set an actual trial date. The judge has room to add anything else to this schedule that makes sense for the case. Basically, this rule gives judges a way to keep cases organized and moving toward a resolution instead of dragging on without direction.