A pretrial conference can affect your trial date because it might help reach a settlement, which could avoid a trial altogether.
Missing the conference could lead to some trouble, like a bench warrant or other penalties, so it's best not to skip it.
Pretrial conferences can run anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours, depending on how much there is to discuss.
You won’t usually need to speak unless asked by the judge or your lawyer, so just sit tight and listen.
It’s wise to bring any important documents related to your case, like evidence or witness information, to help in discussions.
Typically, the judge, the defendant, their lawyer, and the prosecution will be present at the pretrial conference.
A pretrial conference is a meeting before the court date where the judge and the lawyers discuss the case to see if it can be settled or needs to go to trial.