A status conference (sometimes called an early conference[1]) is a court-ordered meeting with a judge (or under some circumstances an authorized counsel) where a trial date (or other case deadlines) is decided.
[2] The meeting may also involve getting updated information on a defendant for ongoing conditions, set forth previously by the courts, such as house arrest or home monitoring.
[citation needed] It can also involve the discussion of a plea bargain[3] or result in a settlement.
[4] If a party does not attend the status conference, that party's requests for scheduling changes will be ignored, and they may be fined.
If the plaintiff and/or a representative of plaintiff does not attend the status conference, the action may be dismissed.