Unless otherwise ordered by the judicial officer to whom the case is assigned for trial, counsel and unrepresented parties shall meet no later than 21 days before the date of the final pretrial conference to conduct settlement negotiations. Lead counsel for the plaintiff first named in the complaint shall take the initiative in scheduling the meeting. If the action is not settled, and if there is no order or stipulation to the contrary, counsel and unrepresented parties shall make all FR Civ P 26(a)(3) disclosures at the meeting. The parties shall prepare a proposed pretrial order for submission to the judicial officer. Counsel and unrepresented parties must be prepared at the final pretrial conference to certify that they tried in their meeting to settle the case.

Unless otherwise ordered by the judicial officer to whom the case is assigned for trial, counsel and unrepresented parties shall file, no later than 7 days prior to the final pretrial conference, a proposed pretrial order setting forth:

1. the pre-trial disclosures required by FR Civ P 26(a)(3) and any objections thereto; 
2. contested issues of law requiring a ruling before trial;
3. a realistic and brief statement by counsel for plaintiff(s) and third-party plaintiff(s) of essential elements which must be proved to establish any meritorious claim remaining for adjudication and the damages or relief sought, accompanied by supporting legal authorities; and by counsel for defendant(s) and third-party defendant(s) of essential elements which must be proved to establish any meritorious defense(s), accompanied by supporting legal authorities. Corresponding statements must also be included for counterclaims and cross-claims; 
4. in all cases, for each party, a brief summary of the material facts and theories of liability or defense;
5. in all cases, for each party, a single listing of the contested issues of fact; and a single listing of the contested issues of law, together with case and statutory citations;
6. stipulations;
7. suggestions for the avoidance of unnecessary proof and cumulative evidence; 
8. suggestions concerning any need for adopting special procedures for managing potentially difficult or protracted aspects of the trial that may involve complex issues, multiple parties, difficult legal questions or unusual proof problems;
9. a list of special voir dire questions, if any, that counsel request be asked of the jury panel;
10. a statement setting forth a realistic estimate of the number of trial days required;
11. any courtroom technology requested for use at trial and a certification that the court=s technology staff has been notified regarding such use no later than 7 days before the scheduled commencement of trial; and
12. any other matters relevant for pretrial discussion or disposition, including those set forth in FR Civ P 16.

The judicial officer to whom the case is assigned for trial shall preside at the final pretrial conference. The final pretrial conference shall be attended by unrepresented parties and by lead trial counsel for each represented party rather than "by at least one of the attorneys who will conduct the trial for each of the parties" as provided in FR Civ P 16(d). Individuals with full authority to settle the case for each party shall be present in person or immediately available by telephone. The agenda of the final pretrial conference shall include consideration of those matters in the proposed pretrial order and any other appropriate matter, including those set forth in FR Civ P 16(c) and (d).

Following the final pretrial conference, the judicial officer shall enter a final pretrial order, which shall be modified only to prevent manifest injustice.

Unless otherwise ordered, a final settlement conference shall be held in each case. The conference shall be conducted by the judicial officer and attended by unrepresented parties and lead trial counsel for each represented party. Individuals with full authority to settle the case for each party shall be present in person or otherwise available as the court permits.

All fees and juror costs shall be imposed upon the parties unless counsel have notified the court and the clerk's office of any settlement not later than 3:00 p.m. of the last business day before trial. The costs shall be assessed equally against the parties and their counsel unless otherwise ordered.