Case conference

A settlement or Pre-trial conference is a meeting between opposing sides of a lawsuit at which the parties attempt to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of their dispute without having to proceed to a trial. Such a conference may be initiated through either party, usually by the conveyance of a settlement offer; or it may be ordered by the court as a precedent (preliminary step) to holding a trial. Each party, the plaintiff and the defendant, is usually represented at the settlement conference by their own counsel or attorney. Conferences are frequently conducted by a judge or other neutral party, in the form of a mediation. A settlement or Pre-trial conference is a meeting between opposing sides of a lawsuit at which the parties attempt to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of their dispute without having to proceed to a trial. Such a conference may be initiated through either party, usually by the conveyance of a settlement offer; or it may be ordered by the court as a precedent (preliminary step) to holding a trial. Each party, the plaintiff and the defendant, is usually represented at the settlement conference by their own counsel or attorney. Conferences are frequently conducted by a judge or other neutral party, in the form of a mediation. In many courts in the common law system, a case conference may be used to settle a case. In some courts, the rules require that before certain types of motions or petitions will be heard by the judge, the lawyers must 'meet and confer' to try to resolve the matter.