Rule 54 - PREHEARING AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCESA. The assigned trial judge shall set a prehearing conference at the earliest available time after the filing of the Form 13.B. Nothing in this rule shall limit a party's right to request a pretrial conference with the trial judge at the time of trial.C. The Court, in its discretion, may order the appearance of any party or attorney at any prehearing or pretrial conference. Nothing in this rule shall limit the authority of a judge of the Workers' Compensation Court to order a prehearing or pretrial conference.D. The Court, in its discretion, in order to assist in the efficient management of the dockets, may establish additional pretrial dockets.E. Failure to appear at a conference, appearance at a conference substantially unprepared or failure to participate in good faith may result in any of the following sanctions: 1. the striking of the hearing;2. holding the proceeding in abeyance;3. an order entered by default;4. assessment of expenses and fees (either against a party or the attorney individually); or5. such other order as the Court may deem just and appropriate.F. If during a prehearing conference, the trial judge finds the party seeking the prehearing conference has done so in an effort to delay, harass or increase costs, the judge shall assess all costs and attorney fees for such conference against the party requesting the conference.G. All regularly scheduled conferences with the Court shall be governed by the prehearing conference rules of procedure as set out herein.H. If any party requests a prehearing conference, that party must certify, on the request for prehearing conference, that the parties have conferred or attempted to confer in good faith, but sincere efforts to resolve the issue have been unavailing.Okla. Stat. tit. 85, § 54
Adopted by order of the Supreme Court, 1997 OK 130, eff. 11/1/1997; Renumbered by order the Supreme Court, 2002 OK 6, eff. 3/1/2002; Renumbered from former Rule 38 and amended by order of the Supreme Court, 2006 OK 6, eff. 1/30/2006. Amended by order of the Supreme Court, 2012 OK 19, eff. 3/6/2012 .