The Court will set all newly-filed cases for a status approximately 60 days after the filing of the complaint. At the initial status conference, which is usually held before the Magistrate Judge, the parties should be prepared to inform the Court of the nature of the case, report on the possibility of settlement, and discuss the nature and length of discovery necessary to prepare the case for trial. A discovery cut-off date may be set at the initial status conference.

The Court recognizes that in some cases, the scheduled status conference will take place before defendants have filed responsive pleadings. However, the Court expects all defendants who have been served to participate in this process regardless of whether they have yet filed a responsive pleading.

At the conclusion of the Initial Status Conference, an Order Controlling the Case will be issued by the Magistrate Judge. The parties should pay special attention to the deadlines established in that Order which govern the filing of summary judgment motions. Requests for additional time to file such motions are usually denied. In addition, motions to exclude expert testimony under Daubert and Federal Rule of Evidence 703 must be filed consistent with the deadline established in the Order Controlling the Case. Unless additional time has been granted by the Court, any Daubert motion filed after the deadline set in the Order Controlling the Case will be summarily denied.