The Court will set cases for status within 60 days of the filing of the complaint. At the initial status conference the parties are to report on the following: 1. The possibility of settlement in the case.  2.  If no possibility of settlement exists, the nature and length of discovery necessary to prepare the case for trial.

To maximize the effectiveness of the scheduled status conference, the Court asks plaintiff’s counsel to schedule a preliminary meeting with opposing counsel to fully explore early settlement opportunities and identify areas of agreement.

The Court recognizes that in some cases the scheduled status conference will take place before defendants have filed a responsive pleading to the complaint. However, the Court expects all defendants who have been served to participate in this process regardless of whether they have filed a responsive pleading.