The Federal Court issued a practice notice on trial management conferences and procedures. The guidelines identify issues to be determined at pre-trial conferences and trial management conferences as well as impose new deadlines for pre-trial steps.

The guidelines (PDF) were released on Friday (h/t Trent Horne) and will likely a key part of the presentation at next week’s Town Hall organized by the Federal Court and the CBA [see you there!].

Some of the key features of the guidelines:

• no motions brought within 60 days of of the trial without leave of the case management judge;
• trial management conference shall be requisitioned to take place at least 2 months prior to trial;
• motions for commission evidence brought at least 2 months prior to trial;
• objections to expert reports within 30 days of service of the reports and no later than 30 days before trial;
• equipment and facility needs to be requisitioned at least 3 weeks prior to trial;
• proposed schedule and witness lists to be submitted at least two weeks prior to trial, and proposed areas of testimony for fact witnesses exchanged;
• issue lists submitted at least 2 weeks prior to trial, and expert reports for those experts being called;
• agreed statements of fact and joint book documents electronically and in paper at least one week prior to trial;
• compendia, written arguments in electronic and written format are also addressed in the guidelines.