Section 1342. Pre-Adjudicatory Conference

A. Scope of conference. At any time after the filing of a petition, upon motion, or upon its own motion, the court may order the parties to appear before it for a conference.

B. Objections. The parties shall have the right to record an objection to rulings of the court during the conference.

C. Record. The court shall place on the record the agreements or objections made by the parties and rulings made by the court as to any of the matters considered in the pre-adjudicatory conference. Such order shall control the subsequent proceedings unless modified at the adjudicatory hearing to prevent injustice.

Comment

This rule does not prevent other forms of pre-adjudicatory conferences. A judge may order a pre-adjudicatory conference between parties without the judge’s presence at the conference to discuss preliminary matters.

Under paragraph (A), the court may consider: 1) the terms and procedures for pre-adjudicatory discovery and inspection; 2) the simplification or stipulation of factual issues, including admissibility of evidence; 3) the qualification of exhibits as evidence to avoid unnecessary delay; 4) the number of witnesses who are to give testimony of a cumulative nature; 5) whether expert witnesses will be called; 6) whether the hearing will be scheduled in front of the master or judge; and 7) such other matters as may aid in the disposition of the proceeding.

Official Note

Rule 1342 adopted August 21, 2006, effective February 1, 2007.

Committee Explanatory Reports:

Final Report explaining the provisions of Rule 1342 published with the Court’s Order at 36 Pa.B. 5599 (September 2, 2006).