US · rules
E.D.N.C. Local Civil Rule 16.1
Final Civil Pretrial Conference
(a) Scheduling and Notice.
A final pretrial conference shall be scheduled in every civil action after the
time for discovery has expired. In most actions, the clerk shall give at least
45 days’ notice of such conference. In the court’s discretion and upon
request of any party or on the court’s own initiative, a preliminary or
“working” pretrial conference may be scheduled.
(b) Preparation for Final Pretrial Conference.
(1) At least 28 days before the pretrial conference, all parties must
provide to all other parties the pretrial disclosures required under Fed.
R. Civ. P. 26(a)(3). Twenty-one days before the pretrial conference,
a party may designate and serve any objections listed in Fed. R. Civ.
P. 26(a)(3). The parties’ Rule 26(a)(3) disclosures, and objections
thereto, shall be incorporated into the final pretrial order, consistent
with subsection (c) of this rule. The pretrial order must be submitted
to the court 7 days prior to the pretrial conference.
(2) In preparing for the pretrial conference, the parties shall confer and
prepare a proposed pretrial order. It shall be the duty of the plaintiff
to arrange for the parties to confer for the purpose of preparing a
proposed pretrial order. Where video depositions are to be used,
parties should endeavor to reach early agreement on editing; where
agreement cannot be reached, required rulings by the court should be
sought in sufficient time to allow for final edited versions of
depositions to be used at trial.
(c) Form of Pretrial Order.
The pretrial order shall be prepared in one sequential document without
reference to attached exhibits or schedules and shall contain the following in
5 separate sections, numbered by roman numerals as indicated:
(1) Stipulations. Stipulations covering jurisdiction, joinder, capacity of
the parties, relevant and material facts, legal issues, and factual
issues.
(2) Contentions. Contentions covering matters on which the parties
have been unable to stipulate, including jurisdiction, misjoinder,
capacity of the parties, relevant and material facts, legal issues, and
factual issues. Claims and defenses as to which no contentions are
listed in the pretrial order are deemed abandoned.
(3) Exhibits. A list of exhibits that each party may offer at trial,
including any map or diagram, numbered sequentially; exhibit
numbers shall remain the same throughout all further proceedings.
Copies of all exhibits shall be provided to the opposing party not later
than the conference provided for in subsection (b) of this rule. The
court may excuse the copying of large maps or other exhibits. Except
as otherwise indicated in the pretrial order, it will be deemed that all
parties stipulate that all exhibits are authentic and may be admitted
into evidence without further identification or proof. Grounds for
objection as to authenticity or admissibility must be set forth in the
pretrial order. When practicable, trial exhibits should carry the same
number as in the depositions and references to exhibits in depositions
should be changed to refer to the trial exhibit number. It is not
necessary to designate exhibits that are to be used solely for
impeachment or cross-examination. Except as otherwise indicated in
the pretrial order or ordered by the court, a party may use any exhibit
in opening statements, provided that the exhibit has been listed in the
pretrial order, and (a) the opposing party has not objected to it, or (b)
any such objection has been overruled prior to opening statement.
(4) Designation of Pleadings and Discovery Materials. The
designation of all portions of pleadings and discovery materials,
including depositions, interrogatories, and requests for admission
that each party may offer at trial, shall be noted by reference, where
applicable, to document volume, page number, and line. Objection
by the opposing party shall be noted by reference, where applicable,
to document volume, page number, and line, and the reasons for such
objection shall be stated. It is not necessary to designate any portion
of a pleading, deposition, or any other discovery material that is to be
used solely for impeachment or cross-examination.
(5) Witnesses. A list of the names and addresses of all witnesses each
party may offer at trial, together with a brief statement of what the
party proposes to establish by their testimony.
(d) Conduct of the Final Pretrial Conference.
(1) Purpose. To resolve any disputes concerning the contents of the
pretrial order.
(2) Preparation. The parties shall be fully prepared to present to the
court all information and documentation necessary for completion of
the final pretrial order. Failure to do so shall result in the sanctions
provided by this local rule.
(3) Pretrial Order. All parties shall be responsible for presenting the
final proposed pretrial order, properly signed by all parties, at a time
designated by the court.
(e) Penalty for Noncompliance.
A person’s failure to comply with the provisions of this local rule may
result in the imposition against that person of a monetary fine not to exceed
$250.00, any other sanction allowable by the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, or both.
(f) Sample Pretrial Order.
A pretrial order in the following form shall be sufficient to comply with
subsection (c) of this rule:. [The case caption should be in the form provided
as an example in Local Civil Rule 10.1.]
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
WESTERN DIVISION
No. 5:94-CV-125-F
JOHN DOE, by his guardian )
ad litem, and JANE DOE, )
)
Plaintiffs, )
)
v. ) PRETRIAL ORDER
)
XYZ CORPORATION, )
)
Defendant. )
Date of Conference: August 12, 1998
Appearances: Jane Y. Lawyer, Raleigh, North Carolina for plaintiff;
Sam X. Attorney, Fayetteville, North Carolina for defendant.
I. STIPULATIONS.
A. all parties are properly before the court;
B. the court has jurisdiction of the parties and of the subject matter;
C. all parties have been correctly designated;
D. there is no question as to misjoinder or nonjoinder of parties;
E. plaintiff, a minor, appears through his or her guardian;
F. Facts:
1. Plaintiff is a citizen of Wake County, North Carolina.
2. Defendant is a New York corporation, licensed to do business and doing business
in the State of North Carolina.
G. Legal Issues:
May a nine-year old minor be guilty of contributory negligence?
H. Factual Issues:
1. Was plaintiff injured and damaged by the negligence of defendant?
2. What amount, if any, is plaintiff entitled to receive of defendant as compensatory
damages?
II. CONTENTIONS.
A. Plaintiff
1. Facts:
(a) That Richard Roe was driving defendant’s truck as defendant’s agent.
(b) That Richard Roe was negligent in that he drove at an excessive speed and
while under the influence of intoxicating liquor.
2. Factual Issues:
What amount, if any, is plaintiff entitled to recover of defendant as punitive
damages?
B. Defendant
1. Facts:
That Richard Roe, a former employee, took defendant’s truck without authorization
and, at the time of the accident, was not the agent or employee of defendant.
2. Factual Issues:
Did plaintiff, by his or her own negligence, contribute to his or her injury and
damage?
III. EXHIBITS.
A. Plaintiff
Number Title Objection
l Patrol Report Hearsay
2 Photo of Plaintiff
B. Defendant
Number Title Objection
l Photo of Scene
2 Scale Model
IV. DESIGNATION OF PLEADINGS AND DISCOVERY MATERIALS.
A. Plaintiff
Document Portion Objection Reason
Plaintiff’s Nos. 1, 8 and No. 8 Privilege
first set of 9
interrogatories
Deposition Vol. 1, line Line 6, p. 1 Hearsay
of Richard Roe 6, p. 1 thru thru line 2,
line 5, p. 6 p. 7
B. Defendant
None
V. WITNESSES.
A. Plaintiff
Name Address Proposed Testimony
John Jones 615 Rains Street Facts surrounding
Raleigh, NC accident
Frank Flake Selma, NC Speed of defendant’s
vehicle, intoxication of driver
B. Defendant
All witnesses listed by plaintiff.
Name Address Proposed Testimony
Sam Smith 4 Appian Way Facts surrounding the
Rome, Italy theft by driver of the vehicle
TRIAL TIME ESTIMATE: days
/s/ Jane Y. Lawyer
JANE Y. LAWYER
Attorney for Plaintiff
/s/ Sam. S. Attorney
SAM X. ATTORNEY
Attorney for Defendant
APPROVED BY:
___________________________
BILL SMITH
U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE
, 201___.
Provenance
- Source
- www.nced.uscourts.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-18
- Edition
- fed-district-2026-09-19
- Content hash
563554660e12c2aa1819b5bf6dbe7b061e0dfe30c7f5b3aac63f0234fd4d49e8
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