M.R. Civ. P. 16A

(a) Orders Prior to Trial. In any action in the District Court, the court may

issue a scheduling order, trial management order, or other order directing the

future course of the action. The court may issue standard orders, in a form

approved by the Chief Judge of the District Court, directing the future course of

the action without the signature of a judge, and when so issued such orders are

binding on the parties.

(b) Conferences. The court may also schedule a conference, issue a

pretrial order or, in its discretion, direct the attorneys for the parties and/or

the parties to appear before it for a conference to address:

(1) The simplification of the issues;

(2) The necessity or desirability of amendments to the pleadings;

(3) The possibility of obtaining admissions of fact and of documents

which will avoid unnecessary proof;

(4) The limitation of the number of expert witnesses; and

(5) Such other matters as may aid in the disposition of the action.

The court may, in its discretion, permit attendance at the conference

by telephone or video conferencing.

(c) Orders After Conference. If a conference is held, the court shall make

an order, which recites the action taken at the conference, and such order, when

entered, controls the subsequent course of the action, unless modified at the

trial to prevent manifest injustice. The court in its discretion may establish a

calendar on which actions may be placed for consideration as above provided.

(d) Sanctions. If a party fails to comply with the requirements of this rule,

to attend a conference held under this rule, or to comply with any order made

hereunder, the court shall impose on the party or the party’s attorney, or both,

such sanctions as the circumstances warrant, which may include the dismissal

of the action or any part thereof with or without prejudice, the default of a party,

the exclusion of evidence at the trial, and the imposition of costs, including

attorney fees and travel. The court may expressly order, where appropriate in

its discretion, that the costs of such sanctions be borne by counsel and that they

shall not be passed on to counsel’s client.