Rule 23.060.Settlements and Discontinuances
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 23.060
Plain-English Summary
This is the shortest rule in the chapter and one of the easiest to forget. When a case in the OCLC settles or is dismissed, the parties must inform the assigned OCLC judge immediately. Not at the next status conference, and not whenever the closing documents are ready. Immediately.
The rule names the channels: telephone or email. That is deliberate. A filing reaches the judge on the court's schedule, while a call or an email reaches chambers the same day, and an OCLC case is holding a block of the judge's calendar that another case could use.
The notice is separate from the paperwork. UTCR 23.060 covers the call or the email; the judgment, stipulated dismissal, or other document that closes the case still follows its ordinary route. The same duty runs through the rest of the rules, in UTCR 6.020 for settlements and dismissals generally and UTCR 7.040 for anything resolved that is sitting on the court's docket.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell the court that an OCLC case has settled?
Telephone or email the assigned OCLC judge. The rule names those two channels, so a message that reaches chambers directly is what it asks for.
When do I have to notify the OCLC judge of a settlement?
Immediately. The rule sets no grace period and no counting of days. As soon as the case settles or is dismissed, the parties tell the judge.
Is a phone call enough to report a settlement in an OCLC case?
Yes, for the notice this rule requires. A call to chambers satisfies UTCR 23.060, and so does an email. Many lawyers send the email anyway, because it leaves a record of when the judge was told.
Do I still have to file dismissal paperwork after calling the judge?
Yes. This rule is about the notice, not about closing the file. The judgment or dismissal that ends the case is filed the way it always would be, in the court with venue.
Who has to notify the judge when an OCLC case ends?
The rule puts the duty on the parties, without electing one of them to carry it. In practice one lawyer calls or writes and copies everyone else, and nobody should assume another party has already done it.