At the conclusion of the conference, the court may make an order:
Rule 3.763.Conference order
Division 7. Civil Case Management · Chapter 6. Management of Class Actions · Adopted 1853 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceRule 3.763 lists the kinds of orders a court may issue after a class action case conference, including approving party stipulations, setting a discovery schedule, and fixing the date for the class certification hearing.
Full Text of Rule 3.763
(1) Approving any stipulations of the parties;
(2) Establishing a schedule for discovery;
(3) Setting the date for the hearing on class certification;
(4) Setting the dates for any subsequent conferences; and
(5) Addressing any other matters related to management of the case.
Plain-English Summary
Once the case conference described in Rule 3.762 wraps up, the court has a menu of orders it can enter to lock in what was discussed. It can approve any stipulations the parties reached, put a discovery schedule in place, and set the date for the hearing on class certification. It can also schedule any follow-up conferences the case will need and address any other matter tied to managing the litigation.
None of this is mandatory — the rule says the court “may” make such an order, not that it must. But when the court does act, the order becomes the roadmap for the next stretch of the case: it tells the parties what discovery is coming, when certification will be decided, and when they will next check in with the court. That structure cuts down on disputes over scope and timing that might otherwise slow a complex class case down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the court required to issue an order after every case conference?
No. Rule 3.763 says the court may make such an order; it is discretionary, not mandatory.
Can a conference order lock in agreements the parties already reached?
Yes. One of the listed options is approving any stipulations of the parties.
Does the conference order set the date for deciding class certification?
It can. The rule lists setting the date for the hearing on class certification as one of the matters the order may address.
Can the court schedule more than one case conference?
Yes. The order may set dates for subsequent conferences as the case develops.
What if a case management issue comes up that is not on this list?
The rule includes a catch-all: the order may address any other matters related to management of the case.
Amendment History
Rule 3.763 renumbered effective January 1, 2007; adopted as rule 1853 effective January 1, 2002.
Source & verification. Rule text is reproduced verbatim from
the Judicial Council of California. Adopted by the Judicial Council of California.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: class action conference order californiacourt order after case management conferencesetting class certification hearing datediscovery schedule order in class action