Rule 19 - OBLIGATIONS OF ATTORNEYS AND UNREPRESENTED PARTIES19.1 It is expected that all attorneys of record or unrepresented parties with cases calendared for motion or trial will be present at the convening of Court for the calendar call and will remain in the courtroom or its general area unless excused by the Presiding Judge.19.2 Attorneys shall be punctual for all sessions of court and shall conduct themselves with professionalism and civility at all times while representing clients in Civil Superior Court in Judicial District 20A. The Presiding Judge shall determine whether an attorney's absence from court is legitimate, and therefore, excused. When an attorney has knowledge in advance of circumstances that will prevent his/her appearance in court, the Court Manager shall be notified to avoid calendaring such cases.19.3 Attorneys residing outside the 20A Judicial District accepting employment to represent clients in the 20A Judicial District must arrange their schedules to be present when their cases are calendared. Conflicts such as seminars and vacations must be worked out with the Court Manager and the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge before the case is calendared for trial and the calendar published. Attorney cooperation is essential to the proper functioning of our court system. The Court wants to work with the attorneys and make their jobs as easy and convenient as possible and the Court expects the attorneys to respond by being punctual and prepared at the scheduled time. Attorneys representing insurance companies should either have a representative of the company with settlement authority available or have prior authority or immediate access to someone possessing settlement authority without undue delay. Plaintiff's attorney should have clients available or prior settlement authority or immediate access to clients regarding settlements.19.4 Attorneys residing outside the 20A Judicial District and who are part of a firm or partnership in which more than one attorney is a part of that firm or partnership SHALL make available to the Court someone in their office to try any cases that may be scheduled on any particular week of Court . This district has had problems with attorneys who reside outside of the 20A Judicial District having conflicts in their home counties and causing the continuance or delay of cases in the 20A Judicial District. Lawyers from outside the 20A Judicial District shall be present for the trial of their cases when called by the Presiding Judge or have a representative from their firm present for the trial of that case. Otherwise the Presiding Judge SHALL proceed with the trial of that case in the absence of the attorney who has failed to appear or have some member of his firm to appear. The 20A Judicial District does not have many weeks of Civil Superior Court and for that reason cases cannot be continued except for the most compelling of reasons.N.C. R. Prac. Sup. & Dist. Ct. Civ. P. 19
Adopted May 30, 2023, effective 5/30/2023.