279. After a case has been inscribed or scheduled for proof and hearing, the judge assigned to hear it, or any other judge designated by the chief justice, if he believes it useful or if he is so requested, invites the attorneys to discuss appropriate means to simplify the suit and to shorten the hearing, including the advisability of amendments to the pleadings, of defining the questions of law and fact really in controversy, of admitting some fact or document and of providing the list of authorities they intend to submit. During the conference, the parties must provide access to the original of the exhibits that they have communicated and that they intend to refer to at the hearing.
The conference may also be called and presided over by a person designated by the chief justice who is a retired judge or an advocate with at least 10 years of practice. Years in which a person acquired relevant legal experience may be considered by the chief justice to be years of practice.
The agreements and decisions made at such conference are recorded in minutes signed by the attorneys and countersigned by the person who presided over the pre-trial and, as far as they go, govern the hearing before the trial judge, unless he permits a derogation therefrom to prevent an injustice.
1965 (1st sess.), c. 80, a. 279; 1984, c. 26, s. 11; 1994, c. 28, s. 16; 2002, c. 7, s. 67.