WHAT IS CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

What is a Case Management Conference? 

A case management conference is when both sides, the lawyers and the judge meet to talk about how to handle the case. There are some things you have to do for this meeting:

• File a “Case Management Statement”: California Rule of Court 3.725  says every party has to file this form at least 15 days before the first Case Management Conference.
  
• Meet and Talk: California Rule of Court 3.724  says you have to talk to the other side before the case management conference about how you want to handle the case, and what you want to settle the case before trial.
  
• Go to the Conference: Both sides have go to the Case Management Conferences (CMCs). Or, your lawyer can go for you. If a Plaintiff doesn’t go to the meeting, the Court can put the case on a dismissal calendar. The Plaintiff has to explain why they didn’t go.
  
  If you don’t go, you run the risk that the Court will decide against you. You might not be able to change these decisions later on.

What Court Orders can I expect?

• Limited Civil Cases: (worth up to $25,000)
  
  The Case Manager Judge will ask if everyone has filed their papers on time, and if you’ve tried to settle the case. You can ask to have an Early Settlement Conference (see the Alternative Dispute Resolution [ADR] Self-Help section of this website)
  
  if you agree that it can help you solve your problem. Usually, the Court will give you your trial date at your first Case Management Conference appearance.
   
• Unlimited Civil Case: (worth more than $25,000)
  
  The Case Manager Judges will ask if everyone has filed their papers on time, and if you’ve tried to settle the case. For most cases, you’ll have to try an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to solve the problem without going to court.
  
  The Court will not give you a trial date at your first Case Management Conference. You have to use ADR to try to settle your case before you can get a trial date.