Title: ORDER AMENDING RULE 5 OF THE RULES FOR DISTRICT COURTS

State: oklahoma

Issuer: Oklahoma Supreme Court

Document:

ORDER AMENDING RULE 5 OF THE RULES FOR DISTRICT COURTS2010 OK 8Case Number: SCBD-4553Decided: 02/09/2010

NOTICE: THIS OPINION HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE 
PERMANENT LAW REPORTS. UNTIL RELEASED, IT IS SUBJECT TO REVISION OR WITHDRAWAL. 



ORDER AMENDING 
RULE 5 OF THE

RULES FOR 
DISTRICT COURTS OF OKLAHOMA 

This matter comes on before this Court upon an 
Application to amend Rule 5 of the Rules for District Courts of Oklahoma.  This Court finds that it has 
jurisdiction over this matter, and that an Order should enter as 
follows:
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED by the 
Court that the Application of John Morris Williams, custodian of the records of 
the Oklahoma Bar Association House of Delegates, for an Order amending Rule 
5 of the Rules for District Courts of Oklahoma is hereby granted, and that said 
Rules are hereby amended as set out in the attached Exhibit "A".  

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED by the Court 
that publication of this amendment to Rule 5 of the Rules for District Courts of 
Oklahoma shall appear three times in the Oklahoma Bar Journal within 60 days of 
the execution of this Order. 

DONE BY ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT this 4th day of 
February, 2010.

 
 

/S/JAMES E. 
EDMONDSON

CHIEF JUSTICE

 
 
ALL JUSTICES 
CONCUR.

EXHIBIT 
"A"

 RULES FOR DISTRICT COURTS OF OKLAHOMA PROPOSED CHANGES FOR 
CONSIDERATION BY THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT FOLLOWING ADOPTION BY THE OKLAHOMA 
BAR ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES

Rules 1 through 4 - No changes. 
Rules 1 through 4 - No changes. 

 
 
Rule 5. Pretrial proceedings

A. Docket. A 
pretrial conference shall be held in all civil actions 
except:

1.   where 
the defendant is in default; or,

2.   where 
the defendant has waived his right to appear or plead; 
or,

3.   in an 
action for the recovery of money or personal property where the amount or value 
in controversy is less than $5000.00; or,

4.   in 
actions for forcible entry and detainer where a jury has been 
waived,

5.   actions 
under the small claims procedure.

The judge is not required to hold pretrial conference in 
cases where jury has been waived but he may do so. A judge may hold more than 
one pretrial conference in any case, or he may excuse a case from the pretrial 
docket.

B. Notice. At 
least twenty (20) days' notice of the setting of a case for an initial pretrial 
conference shall be given to the parties and to the attorneys of record by the 
court clerk.

C. Scheduling. As 
soon as any civil case is at issue, the Court may schedule any conference it 
deems appropriate and enter a scheduling order which establishes, insofar as 
feasible, the time:

1.   to join 
other parties and to amend the pleadings; and,

 
2.   to 
file and hear motions; and,

3.   to 
complete discovery; and,

4.   to have 
a medical examination of a party; and,

5.   for 
conferences before trial, a pretrial conference, and trial; 
and,

6.   to file 
proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law (non-jury); 
and,

7.   for 
accomplishing any other matters appropriate in the circumstances of the 
case.

The scheduling order shall issue as soon as feasible 
after the case is at issue. A schedule shall not be modified except upon written 
application by counsel and by leave of the judge assigned to the case upon a 
showing of good cause.

D. Judge 
Presiding. Unless waived by the parties, the pretrial conference shall be 
conducted by the judge who will try the case. Unless waived by the parties, the 
judge shall take an active part in the conference and shall conduct it in an 
informal manner in chambers whenever 
possible.

E. Scheduling 
and Pretrial Conferences; Objectives. The scheduling and conduct of the 
conferences and the scheduling of matters to be accomplished should be designed 
to:

1.   expedite 
the disposition of the action;

2.   
establish early and continuing control so that the case will not be 
protracted because of lack of management;

3.   
discourage wasteful pretrial 
activities;

4.   improve 
the quality of the trial through more thorough preparation; 
and,

5.   
facilitate the settlement of the 
case.

F.   General 
Guidelines for Conducting Pretrial Conference. The following guidelines should 
be followed by counsel and District Court in preparing and conducting a complete 
and adequate pretrial conference:

1.   
Attorneys shall confer prior to the pretrial conference and prepare a 
single suggested pretrial order for use during the pretrial 
conference;

2.   Whenever 
feasible, all amendments to pleadings and stipulations should be filed in the 
case before the pretrial conference;

3.   
Stipulate in writing to as many facts and issues as 
possible;

4.   List in 
writing the facts and law that are disputed;

5.   Discuss 
the possibility of settlement;

6.   
Attorneys for the parties should be prepared to advise the trial judge at 
the pretrial conference as to whether a settlement judge is 
requested.
G. Subjects to be 
Discussed at Scheduling and Pretrial Conferences. In accordance with the 
objectives of a scheduling or pretrial conference, the participants under 
this rule should be prepared to address, or have taken action 
to:

1.   the 
formulation and simplification of the issues, including the elimination of 
frivolous claims or defenses;

2.   the 
necessity or desirability of amendments to the 
pleadings;

3.   the 
possibility of obtaining admissions of fact and of documents which will avoid 
unnecessary proof, stipulations regarding authenticity of documents, and advance 
rulings from the Court on the admissibility of 
evidence;

4.   the 
avoidance of unnecessary proof and of cumulative 
evidence;

5.   the need 
for orders controlling or scheduling discovery, including orders affecting 
disclosures and discovery under Section 3226 of Title 12 and Sections 3229 
through 3237 of Title 12;

6.   the need 
for adopting any special procedures or protocols addressing the discovery of 
electronically-stored information;

7.   the need 
for including in a scheduling order or other pretrial order any agreements that 
the parties have reached for asserting claims of privilege or of work-product 
protection after such information has been 
produced;

8.   the need 
for orders addressing the preservation of potentially discoverable 
information;

5. 
 9.     the identification of 
witnesses and documents, the need and schedule for filing and exchanging 
pretrial briefs, and the date or dates for further conferences and for 
trial;

6. 
 10. the possibility of settlement or the use of 
extrajudicial procedures to resolve the dispute;

7. 
 11. the form and substance of the pretrial 
order;

8. 
 12. the disposition of pending 
motions;

9. 
 13. the need for adopting special procedures for 
managing potentially difficult or protracted actions that may involve complex 
issues, multiple parties, difficult legal questions, or unusual proof problems; 
and,

10. 
 14.  such other matters as may aid in the 
disposition of the action        
   .

H.  Final 
Pretrial Conference. Any final pretrial conference shall be held as close to the 
time of trial as is reasonable under the circumstances. The participants at any 
such conference shall formulate a plan that will streamline the trial, including 
a program for facilitating the admission of evidence. The conference shall be 
attended by at least one of the attorneys who will conduct the trial for each of 
the parties, unless a substitute attorney is authorized by the Court, and by any 
unrepresented parties.

 
 
I.    
Pretrial Orders. After any conference held pursuant to this rule, an 
order shall be entered reciting the action taken. This order shall control 
subsequent course of the action unless modified by a subsequent order. The order 
following a final pretrial conference shall be modified only to prevent manifest 
injustice. The form adopted by the Oklahoma Supreme Court for pretrial 
conference orders shall be used by the District Court. If the judge deviates 
from the form, he or she shall in writing show to the Supreme Court the reasons 
for such deviation.

 
 
The pretrial order shall include the results of the 
conference and advice to the court regarding the factual and legal issues, 
including details of material evidence to be presented. The order shall also 
present all questions of law in the case. All exhibits must be marked, listed 
and identified in the pretrial order. If there is objection to the admission of 
any exhibits, the grounds for the objection must be specifically stated. Absent 
proper objection, the listed exhibit is admitted when offered at trial or other 
proceeding. Attorneys for all parties will approve the order. The order shall be 
presented to the District Court for signature. The contents of the pretrial 
order shall supersede the pleadings and govern the trial of the case unless 
departure therefrom is permitted by the Court to prevent manifest injustice. 
Proposed pretrial order shall not be filed.

 
 
J.   
Default. Failure to prepare and file a scheduling order or pretrial 
order, failure to appear at a conference, appearance at a conference 
substantially unprepared, or failure to participate in good faith may result in 
any of the following sanctions:

 
 
1.   the 
striking of the pleading;

 
 
2.   a 
preclusion order;

 
 
3.   
staying the proceeding;

 
 
4.   
default judgment;

 
 
5.   
assessment of expenses and fees (either against a party or the attorney 
individually);

 
 
6.   or 
such other order as the Court may deem just and 
appropriate.

 
 
K.  After 
Pretrial. After pretrial, if additional exhibits or writings are discovered, the 
party intending to use them shall immediately mark them for identification and 
furnish copies to opposing counsel. These shall be deemed admitted unless 
written objection is served and filed within ten (10) days of receipt, stating 
the specified grounds for objection. If additional witnesses are discovered, 
opposing counsel shall be notified immediately in writing and furnished their 
names, addresses and the nature of the testimony. Copies of the additional 
documents, exhibits, writings, or list of witnesses shall also be mailed to the 
Clerk of the Court to be filed in the case. No exhibit or witness may be added 
to the final pretrial order once the same has been prepared and signed and filed 
by the Court without a showing to the Court that manifest injustice would be 
created if the party requesting the addition of such evidence or testimony was 
not permitted to add such final pretrial 
order.

 
 
L.   
Settlement Conferences. The Court, may upon its own motion or at the 
request of any of the parties, order a settlement conference at a time and place 
to be fixed by the Court. A judge other than the trial judge will normally 
preside at such settlement conference. At least one attorney for each of the 
parties who is fully familiar with the case and who has complete authority to 
settle the case shall appear for each party. If no attorney has complete 
settlement authority, the party or person with full settlement authority shall 
also attend the settlement conference. The settlement conference judge may allow 
the party having full settlement authority to be telephonically available, if 
justifiable cause is shown why attendance in person would constitute a hardship. 
The parties, their representatives and attorneys are required to be completely 
candid with the settlement conference judge so that he may properly guide 
settlement discussions, and the failure to attend a settlement conference or the 
refusal to cooperate fully within the spirit of this Rule may result in the 
imposition of any of the sanctions mentioned in Paragraph J of this Rule. The 
judge presiding over the settlement conference may make such other and 
additional requirements of the parties as to him shall seem proper in order to 
expedite an amicable resolution of the case. The settlement judge will not 
discuss the substance of the conference with anyone, including the judge to whom 
the case is assigned.

  
SCHEDULING ORDER

 
 
IN THE DISTRICT COURT, _____________ 
JUDICIAL

DISTRICT, __________________ 
COUNTY
DISTRICT, __________________ 
COUNTY

STATE OF 
OKLAHOMA
STATE OF 
OKLAHOMA

 
 
_____________________________

 
 
_____________________________      
      Plaintiff,

 
 
v.

 
 
_____________________________

 
 
_____________________________      
      Defendant.

)

)

)

)     No. 
      _________
)

)

)

)

)

 
 
SCHEDULING ORDER

 
 
IT IS ORDERED that the following must be completed 
within the time fixed:

 
 
1    
ADDITIONAL PARTIES to be joined and AMENDED PLEADINGS to be filed by: 
_______________.

 
 
2.   
Parties shall exchange PRELIMINARY LISTS OF WITNESSES AND EXHIBITS by: 
_______________.

 
 
3.   
DISCOVERY must be completed by: 
_______________.

 
 
4.   DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS will not be 
considered if filed after: _______________.

 
 
5.   SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE OR MEDIATION DATE 
& TIME : _______________.

 
 
6.   PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE DATE & TIME: 
_______________.

 
 
7.   TRIAL DATE: _______________.

 
 

8.   ESTIMATED TIME FOR TRIAL: 
_______________.

9.   REQUESTED JURY INSTRUCTIONS must be 
filed by: _______________.

 
 
10. 
PROPOSED FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW (Non-Jury) must be filed 
by: _______________.

 
 
11. 
TRIAL BRIEF must be filed by: _______________.

 
 
12. 
ADDITIONAL ORDERS:

 
 
MEDICAL EXAMINATION of __________________ shall be completed 
no later than _________________.

 
 
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER shall submit the report to counsel 
requesting the examination, who shall submit a complete copy to all counsel, no 
later than ________________.

 
 
No date set by this Order can be changed except for good 
cause and upon written Order of this Court.

 
 
Dated: ____________

 
 
______________________

Judge of the District Court

 
 
We have presented to the Court our views of time 
requirements established by this Scheduling Order.

 
 
______________________

 
 
______________________

 
 
Attorney for Plaintiff

 
 
______________________

 
 
______________________

 
 
Attorney for Defendant

 
 
______________________

 
 
______________________

 
 
Attorney for _________

 
 

 
 

 
 
PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE 
ORDER

 
 
IN THE DISTRICT COURT, _____________ 
JUDICIAL

DISTRICT, __________________ 
COUNTY
DISTRICT, __________________ 
COUNTY

STATE OF 
OKLAHOMA
STATE OF 
OKLAHOMA



 

_____________________________

 
 
_____________________________      Plaintiff,

 
 
v.

 
 
_____________________________

 
 
_____________________________      Defendant.

)

)

)

)     No. 
      ___________________

)

)

)

)

)

 
 
PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE ORDER

 
 
1.   Appearances:

 
 
2.   General Statement of Facts:

 
 
3.   Plaintiff's Contentions:

 
 
A.   List All Theories of Recovery and the 
Applicable Statutes, Ordinances, and Common Law Rules Relied Upon.

 
 
B.   List Damages or Relief Sought.

 
 
4.   Defendant's Contentions:

 
 
List All Theories of Defense and the Applicable Statutes, 
Ordinances, and Common Law Rules Relied Upon.

 
 
5.   Defendant's Claims for Relief:

 
 
List Any Claims of Relief Sought (By Cross-Claim, 
Counterclaim, or Set-Off), and the Applicable Statutes, Ordinances, and Common 
Law Rules Relied Upon.

 
 
6.   Miscellaneous:

 
 
A.   Is Jury Waived? 

 
 
B.   Is Additional Discovery Requested?

 
 
C.  
A trial brief (is/is not) required by the Court.

 
 
Due by: __________.

 
 
D.  
Other Matters:

 
 
7.   Plaintiff's Exhibits:

 
 
A.   List by Number and Description.

 
 
B.   As to Each Numbered Exhibit, State Any 
Objection and Its Basis.

 
 
8.   Defendant's Exhibits:

 
 
A.   List by Number and Description.

 
 
B.   As to Each Numbered Exhibit, State Any 
Objection and Its Basis.

 
 
9.   Plaintiff's Witnesses: List Names, 
Addresses, and Substance of Testimony.

 
 
10. 
Defendant's Witnesses: List Names, Addresses, and Substance of 
Testimony.

 
 
11. 
Requested Jury Instructions Due By: _________

 
 
12. 
Estimated Trial Time:

 
 
13. 
Stipulations:

 
 
14. 
Settlement: Has the Possibility of Settlement Been Explored?

 
 
15. 
TRIAL DATE SET FOR: ______ _.m., ________, 20__.

 
 
Dated: __________________________________

 
 

 
 
______________________

Judge of the District Court

 
 

 
 
Approved:

______________________

 
 
______________________

 
 
Attorney for Plaintiff

 
 
______________________

 
 
______________________

 
 
Attorney for Defendant

 
 
______________________

 
 
______________________

 
 
Attorney for _________

 
 
Rules 6 through 30 B No changes.