RULE N2l2A. STATUS CONFERENCES. TRIAL LISTS.
(a) Within ninety (90) days after a civil action is commenced, the Court Administrator shall place the action on the next available status conference list and mail the same to each party or attorney of record. At the call of the status conference list, counsel shall appear and be prepared to discuss the status of the pleadings, the existence of any outstanding motions, whether all parties have been joined, and the time needed to complete discovery. At the conclusion of the conference, the Court may enter an appropriate order concerning outstanding matters, fix deadlines for the completion of discovery, and may order the matter to appear on another status conference list not more than six (6) months later. If there are no outstanding matters and discovery is complete, the Court shall order the matter placed on the next available pre trial conference list.
Actions subject to mandatory arbitration or certified to arbitration shall be listed for status conference six (6) months after the action is commenced and each six (6) months thereafter if a praecipe for the appointment of arbitrators has not been filed in the interim. Arbitration cases and non jury actions will not be pre tried without order of court.
(b) The Court Administrator shall prepare jury and non jury trial lists in accordance with orders entered at the status or pre trial conference and forward the same to each party or attorney of record at least thirty (30) days prior to the preliminary call of the list. The day by day list shall be prepared in the order in which the actions were commenced or as directed by the Court. Also see Pa. R.C.P. 214.
(c) A preliminary call of each jury and non jury trial list will be held at 9:00 a.m. on the Wednesday prior to the trial week. At that time the Court will consider all applications for continuances and no continuance will thereafter be granted except for cause arising between the time of the preliminary call and the beginning of the assigned trial week.
(d) In all actions commenced more than two (2) years prior to the status conference, the Court may of its own motion issue a rule upon the parties, returnable within thirty (30) days, to show cause why the case should not be dismissed for want of prosecution or make such other suitable disposition as may appear proper. If no answer is filed, the rule shall be made absolute and the case dismissed by the Court as of course.
(e) If an order of dismissal becomes final as of course, the Clerk of Courts Civil shall forthwith notify all parties or their counsel of that fact by regular mail and file proof of such notice.
(f) Any party may file a praecipe for either a pre trial conference list or a trial list, giving notice thereof to all opposing parties.
(g) At the pre trial conference the case shall proceed in accordance with Northampton County Rule N212B and the Court shall assign the case to the jury or non jury trial lists. At the pre trial conference, the Court will consider all applications for continuance and no continuance will thereafter be granted except for cause arising between the time of the pre trial conference and the beginning of the assigned trial week.
(h) Any case once certified for trial by a pre trial judge shall, unless otherwise directed by the Court, be relisted automatically on subsequent trial lists until the case is finally disposed of by trial or otherwise.
(AMENDED FEBRUARY 20, 2020-ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 2020-4-SEE BELOW)
RULE N212A. Case Management/Trial Lists.
(a) Upon the filing of an answer to a complaint in a civil action, the court will issue a case management order setting deadlines for completing discovery, serving expert reports, and filing pre-trial motions. The case management order shall also set the date for a pre-trial conference.
The parties may agree to alter the deadlines and dates set by the case management order by delivering a stipulation and proposed order to Court Administration for transmittal to a judge for approval by the court.
If the parties determine that the complexity of the case requires a specialized case management order and cannot agree to a stipulated order, any party may request a status conference by contacting Court Administration.
(b) The Court Administrator shall prepare jury and non-jury trial lists in accordance with case management orders and forward such lists to each attorney of record and each unrepresented party at least thirty (30) days prior to the preliminary call of the list. The day-by-day list shall be prepared in the order in which the actions were commenced or as directed by the court. See Pa.R.C.P. 214.
(c) A preliminary call of each jury and non-jury trial list shall be held prior to the trial week. At the call of the list, the court will consider all applications for continuances, and no continuance will thereafter be granted except for cause arising between the time of the preliminary call and the beginning of the assigned trial week.
(d) Any party may file a praecipe for either a pre-trial conference list or a trial list, giving notice thereof to all opposing parties.
(e) At the pre-trial conference, the case shall proceed in accordance with Northampton County Rule N212B, and the court shall assign the case to the jury or non-jury trial list.
(f) Any case once certified for trial by a pre-trial judge shall, unless otherwise directed by the court, be relisted automatically on subsequent trial lists until the case is finally disposed of by trial or otherwise.