MIMCLR 3
              PRE-TRIAL AND READINESS HEARINGS.


(a)  Unless otherwise ordered by the Court in a specific
     case for good cause, all cases in which a defendant enters a
     plea of not guilty shall be set for a pre-trial hearing.

(b)  (1) The pre-trial hearing shall provide an opportunity
     for negotiation between the parties.  The parties shall
     confer in good faith regarding any agreed disposition prior
     to trial.  The defendant shall be required to attend the pre-
     trial hearing unless excused by the Court.  Failure to
     attend may result in the issuance of a bench warrant and/or
     forfeiture of any bail/bond.  In the event of a disposition,
     the parties shall execute the appropriate documents for the
     Judge to consider the matter on the record.
     (2) In cases that proceed to trial, the parties shall
     identify with specificity all motions and counsel may be
     required to articulate on the record the basis for any
     motion.  All rulings made at the pre-trial hearing or
     subsequent motion hearing(s) shall be binding on the
     parties and shall not be re-litigated at trial.  Any
     motion not identified at pre-trial may be deemed waived
     unless otherwise allowed by the Court.  Counsel shall
     identify only those motions for which there is a good
     faith belief that the motion is well grounded in fact and
     is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for
     the extension, modification or reversal of existing law.

(c)  The Court shall assign dates and give written notice to
     the parties for motion hearings and trial at the time of the
     pre-trial conference and shall, in so far as is reasonably
     possible, schedule those hearings after consultation with
     all counsel.  Other factors, such as witness
     availability, shall also be considered.

(d)  (1) A jury call/readiness hearing will be scheduled in
     all cases proceeding to jury unless specifically waived by
     the Court in a particular case for good cause shown.  This
     calendar will be held during the week prior to the scheduled
     jury trial.  The defendant shall be required to attend this
     hearing unless excused by the Court.  Failure to attend the
     readiness hearing may result in the issuance of a bench
     warrant, the case being stricken from the month's jury
     calendar, and/or forfeiture of bail/bond.
     (2) A request for a jury trial date constitutes an
     assurance that the parties will be ready to begin jury
     selection immediately on the morning of trial.

(e)  A Jury trial must be confirmed by the defendant, or
     defense council, or prosecuting attorney by notifying the
     court at or before 1:30 p.m. the court day prior to trial.
     Failure to do so may result in witness or jury costs being imposed.


[Adopted effective September 1, 2006]