Many types of documents pass over a paralegal’s desk or in the freelance world, we receive a lot of emails regarding electronic filings. Often times, we come across a document executed by the Judge called a “Scheduling Order”. This document usually involves some in-depth guidelines and due dates that will help move a case along.

A court scheduling order is a document that a judge creates to keep a court case organized and on track. It’s like a calendar or a to-do list for the case.

Here’s what it does:

• Sets deadlines: It tells everyone involved in the case (lawyers, parties, etc.) when important tasks need to be done. For example, it might say when evidence has to be shared or when documents need to be filed.
• Schedules hearings or the trial: It lists the dates for court appearances, like pre-trial meetings or the trial itself.
• Keeps things moving: The order helps make sure the case doesn’t drag on for too long.

If someone misses a deadline, it can cause problems, like delaying the case or even losing certain rights in the process. So, everyone involved needs to pay close attention to it!

Often times the parties are required to get together by a specific timeframe which is usually before the case is presented in front of the judge and put together what it a call a ” Consolidated Pre-Trial Order” or “CPTO“. This CPTO or outline rather, usually includes the name and addresses of the attorneys that will conduct the trial, the estimated time required for trial, it will let the court know if there are any outstanding motions or pleadings, the jury’s duty, it will state if discovery is completed, requires that the parties give a “brief” outline of the case and contentions from both the plaintiff’s side and the defendant’s side, the issues that need to be determined and the types of damages. Additionally you will usually include case specific issues as outlined in your state’s local rules of civil procedures such as who’s testimony will be introduced, the list of witnesses, if there are any objections and so on.

A court scheduling order is very specific for a good reason. The court is not involved in your case on an everyday basis and therefore, you must outline the information to the judge or the judge’s assistant as a means of assisting them in preparing for your case. In college you may have had to run a particular topic by your professor before you could start an assignment. This would help the professor make sure you stayed on topic and gave the professor an idea about was going on. I know kind of far fetched but similarly, judges do the same thing in their own way. That way is called a “Scheduling Order”. It’s basically their way of saying ” What’s going with your case”.