Opinion ID: 1691181
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pre-Trial Procedures and Penalties

Text: Louisiana has had a statutory pre-trial conference procedure since 1950. See former La.Rev.Stat. 13:5151. The purpose of the pre-trial conference is to promote the speedy and just disposition of the case. One of the major functions of the pre-trial conference is to require disclosure of all witnesses and evidence that the parties intend to use at trial, thereby facilitating trial preparation and preventing surprise and prejudice. Pre-trial conferences reduce unnecessary proof of facts at trial, as well as a litigant's opportunity to create traps or surprises. When the litigants participate in good faith in pre-trial proceedings, settlements are facilitated and costs to litigants are reduced. 62 Am.Jur.2d Pretrial Conference and Procedure § 2 (1999); Walter W. Jones, Jr., Annotation, Consideration or Submission at Trial, Under Rule 16 of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, of Issues Not Fixed for Trial in Pretrial Order, 11 A.L.R. Fed. 786 (1999). Because the pre-trial conference is an invaluable tool for promoting a fair and speedy trial and aiding in the reduction of the court's backlog of cases, pre-trial orders must be strictly adhered to by the parties. La.Code Civ. Proc. art. 1551 presently authorizes district courts to conduct pre-trial conferences and mandates that, if a conference is conducted, the judge must render a pre-trial order to control the subsequent course of the action, as follows: A. In any civil action in a district court the court may in its discretion direct the attorneys for the parties to appear before it for conferences to consider any of the following: (1) The simplification of the issues, including the elimination of frivolous claims or defenses. (2) The necessity or desirability of amendments to the pleadings. (3) What material facts and issues exist without substantial controversy, and what material facts and issues are actually and in good faith controverted. (4) Proof, stipulations regarding the authenticity of documents, and advance rulings from the court on the admissibility of evidence. (5) Limitations or restrictions on or regulation of the use of expert testimony under Louisiana Code of Evidence Article 702. (6) The control and scheduling of discovery. (7) The identification of witnesses, documents, and exhibits. (8) Such other matters as may aid in the disposition of the action. B. The court shall render an order which recites the action taken at the conference, the amendments allowed to the pleadings, and the agreements made by the parties as to any of the matters considered, and which limits the issues for trial to those not disposed of by admissions or agreements of counsel. Such order controls the subsequent course of the action, unless modified at the trial to prevent manifest injustice. C. If a party's attorney fails to obey a pretrial order, or to appear at the pretrial and scheduling conference, or is substantially unprepared to participate in the conference or fails to participate in good faith, the court, on its own motion or on the motion of a party, after hearing, may make such orders as are just, including orders provided in Article 1471(2), (3), and (4). In lieu of or in addition to any other sanction, the court may require the party or the attorney representing the party or both to pay the reasonable expenses incurred by noncompliance with this Paragraph, including attorney fees. A 1997 amendment to Subsection A expanded the provisions from the original Code of 1961 to the present form, quoted above, and added Subsection C, which for the first time specifically provides for sanctions for failure to appear or to participate in good faith in pre-trial proceedings. [2] Subsection C refers to the sanctions listed in La.Code Civ. Proc. art. 1471(2), (3) and (4), which provide: If a party or an officer, director, or managing agent of a party or a person designated under Articles 1442 or 1448 to testify on behalf of a party fails to obey an order to provide or permit discovery, including an order made under Article 1469 or Article 1464, the court in which the action is pending may make such orders in regard to the failure as are just, and among others the following: . . . (2) An order refusing to allow the disobedient party to support or oppose designated claims or defenses, or prohibiting him from introducing designated matters in evidence. (3) An order striking out pleadings or parts thereof, or staying further proceedings until the order is obeyed, or dismissing the action or proceeding or any part thereof, or rendering a judgment by default against the disobedient party. (4) In lieu of any of the foregoing orders or in addition thereto, an order treating as a contempt of court the failure to obey any orders except an order to submit to a physical or mental examination. Thus, Article 1551C, which incorporated Article 1471(2) and (3), now authorizes the death penalty of dismissal or judgment by default in appropriate cases of disobedience of or disregard for orders pertaining to pre-trial procedure. However, this extreme penalty obviously should seldom be imposed and should be reserved for only the most flagrant case.