Pretrial statements or memoranda of counsel for the parties are frequently required either by the governing statute or rules of court, or by directive of the judge in the individual case, particularly in the absence of a preconference meeting. These statements may be joint or separate and are prepared prior to pretrial conference and presented to the pretrial judge. They should cover all of the matters that counsel may be able to agree on before the conference, and should be as complete and as detailed as the statute, rules, or order may direct.
In any action, the court may, in its discretion, direct the attorneys for the parties and any unrepresented parties to appear before it for a conference or conferences before trial for such purposes as: (1) expediting the disposition of the action; (2) establishing early and continuing control so that the case will not be protracted because of lack of management; (3) discouraging wasteful pretrial activities; (4) improving the quality of the trial through more thorough preparation; and (5) facilitating the settlement of the case.
