Rule 13.300.Pretrial Settlement Conferences and Arbitration
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 13.300
Plain-English Summary
The rule makes a narrow point. Arbitration and the court's settlement conference program run on parallel tracks. Neither the assignment of a case to arbitration nor the pendency of an arbitration hearing excludes that case from participating in a court pretrial settlement conference.
The practical value is that settlement work does not have to wait for the award, and asking for a conference is not a signal that arbitration has failed. A conference and an arbitration hearing serve different ends, agreement in the first and a decision in the second, and the chapter refuses to make you choose between them.
Watch the calendar, though. Arbitration in this chapter runs on a short cycle, and a settlement conference has to fit inside it. The chapter's scheduling rule controls postponements of the arbitration hearing and is not generous with them, so plan the conference around the hearing rather than expecting the hearing to move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we go to a settlement conference while the arbitration is pending?
Yes. The rule states that neither assignment to arbitration nor the pendency of an arbitration hearing excludes a case from participating in a court pretrial settlement conference.
Does asking for a settlement conference take the case out of arbitration?
No. This rule addresses eligibility for the conference, not the case's status in the arbitration program. Removing a case from arbitration is handled by separate rules with their own requirements.
Will the arbitrator hear what happened at the settlement conference?
Not the offers. The chapter separately bars disclosure to the arbitrator of any offers or settlement made by a party before the award is announced, unless all parties agree otherwise.
Does a settlement conference postpone the arbitration hearing?
Not on its own. Moving an arbitration hearing requires the arbitrator's permission and, past the chapter's outside limits, the presiding judge's approval. Schedule the conference so it does not depend on the hearing moving.
How do we get a settlement conference set?
The rule confirms the case is eligible but does not create the procedure, so ask the trial court administrator and check your judicial district's supplementary local rules for how a conference is set.