The court shall attempt to narrow legal issues, to reach stipulations as to facts in controversy and, in general, to shorten the time and expense of trial. The court shall, at that time, determine whether or not trial briefs should be submitted and shall fix a date when the are to be filed. If the case is not settled at pretrial, then the case will be set for trial at a time reasonably convenient to all parties. No party shall be granted a continuance of a trial or a hearing without a written motion from the party or his counsel stating the reason for the continuance. When a continuance is requested for the reason that counsel is scheduled to appear in another case assigned for trial on the same date in the same or another trial court of this state, the case which was first set for trial shall have priority and shall be tried on the date assigned.
Criminal cases assigned for trial have priority over civil cases assigned for trial.
The granting of any other request for continuance of a scheduled trial is a matter within the discretion of the trial court. Counsel for the party in whose favor an order or judgment is rendered shall prepare a journal entry. Entries of settlement may be filed at any time. The journal entry shall state which party will pay the court costs. The civil clerk shall provide each judge of the court with a monthly report that indicates all outstanding civil matters before the court.