Rule 4 . Setting cases for trial or hearing.

1. Criminal trials shall be set in a manner prescribed by the Judge assigned to the case. 2. To set a civil matter for trial, a party shall first attempt to reach a stipulated calendar date for trial by contacting all parties and the judicial administrator for the assigned Department. Conference calls between the parties and the judicial administrator are encouraged. If the parties and judicial administrator agree to a trial date, the judicial administrator shall prepare an order for the Judge’s signature that includes the trial date, number of days set aside for trial, preference for a jury trial or bench trial, whether or not a court reporter has been requested and by whom, and a deadline for filing motions. 3. If a party is unable to obtain a stipulated calendar date for setting a civil trial, by contacting all parties and the judicial administrator, the party may file a “Motion to Set Trial” and have the matter heard on the Court’s law and motion civil calendar. The party shall provide written notice to all parties at least 21 days prior to the hearing date. The motion shall contain the following paragraph: “The undersigned has attempted to reach a stipulated trial date in this matter with the other parties and the judicial administrator and has been unable to do so. Therefore, notice is hereby given that the undersigned shall appear before this Court on the law and motion calendar at p.m./a.m. on , the day of , 20__, for the purpose of having this Court set this matter for trial.” At a hearing on the motion, the Court will hear arguments concerning the setting of the matter for trial, enter an appropriate order, and consider the assessment of attorney fees and costs against any party who failed to cooperate in calendaring a matter for trial without a hearing or who unreasonably refused to set a timely date for trial. 4. If a case has been set for trial and is subsequently settled, counsel for the parties shall immediately notify the judicial administrator. A file-stamped copy of all settlement agreements in civil cases and plea agreements in criminal cases shall be delivered, immediately upon filing, to the appropriate Judge’s chambers. Failure to immediately notify the Court of a settlement agreement, or misrepresenting that a settlement has been reached when one has not, is a significant violation of these rules and will subject an attorney to sanctions. 5. In civil cases, the parties shall cause to be issued an Order Setting Trial Date within 60 days following the filing of the first N.R.C.P. 16.1 Conference Report. If the parties fail to comply with this requirement, unless waived by the Court, the Court may set the case for trial at its own discretion or dismiss the case without prejudice. 6. The following matters, if uncontested, may be set by the judicial administrator on any law and motion day upon request by counsel: (a) Default judgments. (b) Divorces. (c) Annulments. (d) Terminations of parental rights. (e) Adoptions. (f) Name changes. (g) Juvenile proceedings. (h) Guardianships. (i) Estate proceedings. (j) Proceedings under the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act. (k) Criminal arraignments, changes of plea, and sentencing. (l) Other similar matters. 7. Counsel may not remove contested matters from the calendar by calling the Court Clerk or Judge’s chambers. All parties must stipulate, in writing, to vacate or continue a matter. If all parties do not stipulate in writing, a continuance may be requested by motion.