Civil procedure
Rule 16 Conference
A Rule 16 conference is the early meeting between the judge and the lawyers to organize the case and set its schedule.
The judge asks what the case is about, how much discovery it needs, whether settlement talks make sense, and when the parties can be ready for trial. The output is the scheduling order, so this short conference shapes the next two years.
Some judges use it for more. Narrowing claims, phasing discovery, and referring the case to a magistrate judge for settlement all commonly happen here, which is why unprepared counsel regret it.
Preparation shows on the docket. The joint report the parties file beforehand states their positions on jurisdiction, discovery scope, and settlement, and it is often the most candid public description of the dispute in the whole file.
How it appears on a docket
MINUTE ENTRY for Initial Pretrial Conference held before Judge Alvarez on 9/12/2025. Scheduling order to issue separately. Parties referred to Magistrate Judge Okafor for settlement conference.
Governing rule
Fed. R. Civ. P. 16
Related terms
- Scheduling Order — A scheduling order is the judge's timetable for the case, setting the deadlines for discovery, amendments, expert reports, and motions.
- Magistrate Judge — A magistrate judge is a federal judge appointed by the district court to handle pretrial matters, criminal first appearances, and, with consent, entire civil cases.
More on civil procedure
See this term in a real case
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