Va. Sup. Ct. R. 1:18

(a) In any civil case the parties, by counsel of record, may agree and submit for

approval and entry by the court a pretrial scheduling order. If the court determines that

the submitted order is not consistent with the efficient and orderly administration of

justice, then the court will notify counsel and provide an opportuni ty to be heard.

(b) In any civil case in which a pretrial scheduling order has not otherwise been

entered pursuant to the court’s normal scheduling procedure, the court may, upon request

of counsel of record for any party, or in its own discretion, ent er the pretrial scheduling

order con tained in Section 3 of the Appendix of Forms at the end of Part I of these Rules

(Uniform Pretrial Scheduling Order). The court will cause copies of the order so entered

to forthwith be transmitted to counsel for all par ties. If any party objects to or requests

modifi cation of that order, the court will (a) hold a hearing to rule upon the objection or

request or (b) with the consent of all parties and the approval of the court, enter an

amended pretrial scheduling order.

(c) With the exception of domestic relations and eminent domain cases, a court may

not enter a scheduling order which deviates from the terms of the Uniform Pretrial

Scheduling Order unless either (1) counsel of record for all parties agree to different

provisions, or (2) the cour t, after providing an opportunity for counsel of record to be

heard, makes a finding that the scheduling order contained in the Appendix is not

consistent with the efficient and orderly administration of justice under the specific

circumstances of that cas e.