PRETRIAL ORDER

The parties shall submit a jointly proposed pretrial order or report in the form prescribed by the assigned judge on the date specified in the notice of the pretrial conference. When entered by or at the direction of the assigned judge, the pretrial order shall supersede all prior pleadings, shall control the trial of the case, and shall be amended only by order of the court and only upon a showing of good cause. LOCAL RULE 16.2: MEDIATION ENCOURAGED Private mediation at the expense of the parties is encouraged by the court. With the consent of all parties, the court will assist in the scheduling of mediation and the selection of a mediator.

Nothing in this rule prevents the parties from scheduling mediation without the court’s involvement. 14 LOCAL RULE 26: DISCOVERY PLAN AND ORDER A. After responsive pleadings are filed in civil cases (except those hereafter identified as exempt), the parties shall confer to discuss the nature and basis of their claims and the possibilities for a prompt settlement. The court will order the parties to develop a proposed scheduling/discovery order or report and will describe the required contents and set a deadline for its filing. B. After receiving the proposed, combined order or report, the court may consult with counsel by conference, telephone or mail before entering an order.

C. The following categories of civil cases are exempt from this Rule and from the initial disclosure requirements of F.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(1): (1) an action brought without counsel by a person in custody of the United States, a state, or a state subdivision; an action for review on an administrative record; an action to enforce or quash an administrative summons or subpoena; a petition for habeas corpus or other proceeding to challenge a criminal conviction or sentence; an action by the United States to recover benefit payments; an action by the United States to collect on a student loan guaranteed by the United States; a proceeding ancillary to proceedings in other courts; and an action to enforce an arbitration award. (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) 15 LOCAL RULE 30: DEPOSITIONS