A pretrial conference—also known as a pretrial hearing or scheduling conference—is an informal meeting or discussion in the early stages of a lawsuit during which the attorneys and the judge work to schedule important deadlines in the lawsuit; identify important witnesses and documents; discuss settlement; and narrow the issues for trial.
The court will usually sign a pretrial order that includes its rulings and the parties' agreements on the matters discussed at the pretrial conference.
The pretrial conference is essentially a project management plan for the litigation. The timing of the pretrial conference and the issues to be addressed are usually included in the state's rules of civil procedure or code of civil procedure—or in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in federal court.
In Texas, a pretrial conference is a procedural step in the civil litigation process where the parties, through their attorneys, meet with a judge to discuss the case and set a timeline for various pretrial activities. This conference aims to streamline the issues, schedule deadlines for motions, disclosure of evidence, and witness lists, and explore the possibility of settlement before the case goes to trial. The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure provide guidance on the timing and conduct of pretrial conferences. During the conference, the court may issue a pretrial order that outlines the agreements between the parties and the court's decisions on the matters discussed. This order serves as a roadmap for the litigation, ensuring that the case proceeds efficiently. If the case is in federal court, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure would apply, and similar pretrial conferences would be held in accordance with those rules.
