Rule 12 Judicial management of discovery

Judges have the power to control how discovery works in child abuse and neglect cases. Discovery is the process where each side gathers information and evidence to prepare for their case. The judge can decide what discovery methods people can use and set a schedule for when things need to happen. The only requirement is that everyone involved must still get a fair chance to collect the information they need.

If a party thinks they need more time because discovery will take longer than expected, they cannot just show up and ask for a delay. They must send the court a written notice ahead of time. This notice needs to explain why they need more time for discovery and roughly how long the delay will be. This gives the judge and other parties fair warning instead of last minute surprises that could throw off scheduled hearings.

This rule exists because child abuse and neglect cases often need to move quickly to protect children, but people still need enough time to prepare properly. By giving judges control over the discovery process, and requiring early notice when delays are needed, the rule tries to balance fairness with the need to keep these cases moving forward without unnecessary delays.