Rule 6.010 Conferences in Civil Proceedings

In a civil court case, a judge can call the people involved (or their lawyers) to a meeting called a conference. The judge decides if this meeting happens. The point of the meeting is to make the case run smoother and faster.

During this conference, the judge and parties might talk about several things. They can work on narrowing down what's actually being argued about, or decide if the paperwork needs changes. They can agree on facts or documents everyone accepts as true, so nobody wastes time proving things that aren't really in dispute. They might also limit how many expert witnesses each side can call, or discuss having a neutral person look at parts of the case before it goes to a jury. Settlement, meaning ending the case without a trial, can come up too. Basically, anything that helps move the case forward can be discussed.

These meetings usually happen in person, but a party can ask to join remotely instead, like by phone or video call. The judge can also decide to hold the conference remotely. Separately, some courts require settlement conferences as part of their local rules, so parties should check if that applies to their case.