Northumberland Cnty. C.P. Rule NCV-212 Trial Scheduling and Pre-Trial Conference

Northumberland County

RULE NCV-212. TRIAL SCHEDULING AND PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE

A. When the pleadings are closed, any party whose depositions and

discovery proceedings have been completed may place the case on the

trial list through the filing of a praecipe with the Prothonotary, who shall

forward a copy of same to the Court Administrator. The party placing

the action on the trial list shall immediately notify all other parties.

Failure to give such notice shall be grounds for striking the action from

the trial list at the request of any party who was not given notice.

B. Pre-Trial Conference:

1. The Court Administrator shall schedule a pre-trial conference.

2. Each party shall submit, five (5) days prior to the conference, two (2)

copies of the pre-trial memorandum, which shall be substantially in

the form set forth below.

3. The pre-trial conference shall be attended by the attorney who will

try the case or by an attorney who is fully prepared and authorized as

to all matters which may arise during the conference.

4. At the pre-trial conference counsel shall be prepared to discuss all

phases of their case and shall bring to the attention of the Court any

special substantive or evidentiary questions of law which may

reasonably be anticipated to arise during trial.

5. Counsel shall be prepared to stipulate to all matters of common

agreement to the end of avoiding the necessity of formally proving

matters not in dispute.

6. Counsel shall be prepared to discuss the possibility of settlement and

shall make a good-faith effort to explore such possibility.

7. The Court, either during or following the pre-trial conference, may

make such order or as deemed necessary, reciting the action taken,

including: stipulations and other agreements of counsel; deadlines

for expert reports and dispositive motions. Such order, when

entered, shall control the subsequent course of the action unless

modified to prevent manifest injustice.

Northumberland County

8. If a party or his counsel fails to attend the pre-trial conference or to

submit the required memorandum, or fails to comply with any pre-trial order or stipulation, the Court may, on the motion of opposing

counsel, or on its own motion, impose such penalty or sanction as it

deems appropriate under the circumstances.

9. Where a continuance is allowed after pre-trial conference, the case

will be rescheduled for trial. A subsequent conference will be held

only upon request of counsel or direction by the Court. At any such

subsequent conference, the pre-trial memorandum previously

submitted shall be updated if appropriate, but otherwise need not be

resubmitted.