Rule 13.280.Trial Docket
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 13.280
Plain-English Summary
Going to arbitration does not cost a case its place in line. Every case assigned to arbitration maintains its approximate position on the civil trial docket as if it had never been assigned.
The reason is the trial de novo. If a party requests a trial de novo, the case returns to the court's trial docket, and without this rule it would come back at the end of the queue and pay for the time arbitration took. The chapter is built around a short arbitration process, and preserving docket position is what makes that process a detour rather than a delay.
The rule limits itself in its own wording. The position is approximate, not a reserved date, and the court retains discretion to modify it. Read this as protection against losing your place, not as a guarantee of any particular trial setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does sending a case to arbitration push back its trial date?
Not by rule. A case assigned to arbitration keeps its approximate position on the civil trial docket as though the assignment had not happened.
After a trial de novo request, does the case go to the back of the line?
No. The docket position the case held is preserved through the arbitration, which is what this rule is for.
Can the court change my case's docket position anyway?
Yes. The rule leaves the court discretion to modify the docket position when it decides that is appropriate.
Is my docket position a guaranteed trial date?
No. The rule speaks of an approximate position on the civil trial docket, which is a place in the order rather than a date on the calendar.
How does this fit with the chapter's timing rules?
It complements them. Arbitration is scheduled on a short cycle, and separate limits keep cases from being assigned to arbitration close to a set trial date. This rule handles the other side of the problem, making sure the detour does not cost the case its standing on the docket.