Rule 78 Motion day; hearings; submission on briefs

Judges have flexibility in how they handle motions filed in a case. A court can set up regular days and times when it hears motions, giving everyone a predictable schedule to work with.

The court also has another option. Instead of holding a hearing where lawyers or parties argue in person, the judge can decide to rule on a motion just by reading written briefs. This means the judge looks at the paperwork both sides submit and makes a decision without anyone having to show up and argue the case out loud.

For people involved in a lawsuit, this means you might not always get a courtroom hearing on every motion. Sometimes the judge will simply read what each side has written and issue a ruling based on that alone.