The first CMC is a planning conference, not a trial of the accident. Prepare to explain service, the pleadings, disputed issues, discovery needs, ADR, and trial readiness. A useful plan identifies the next concrete steps and realistic dates. Read the actual notice because local alternatives, department directions, and case-specific orders can affect what must be submitted and who must appear.
Documents and facts to assemble
- The CMC notice, current docket, and case status summary
- A discovery, ADR, and trial availability plan
Prepare a useful conference status summary
For an accident case, organize preparation around what the court needs to manage next: which defendants have been served, what issues remain disputed, what records and depositions are needed, and whether the parties are ready to discuss settlement. A short status summary should identify the next task and the person responsible for it, rather than repeat the accident narrative.
Practical checklist
- Update the status of each defendant from the docket and service records.
- List outstanding records, depositions, and other discovery with practical target dates.
- Compare the proposed discovery and ADR plan with trial availability and the court’s notice.
A simple preparation worksheet
Make a short working list before drafting the statement. For each item, record its current status, the supporting document, the next action, and a realistic target date. Keep proposals separate from dates already ordered by the court.
- Parties and service: identify each defendant, the available proof of service, any response filed, and any unresolved service question.
- Evidence: list medical or employment records still requested, witnesses to contact, and depositions to schedule. Note what is missing and how that affects the proposed schedule.
- Resolution: record settlement discussions accurately, any proposed mediation, and information still needed to evaluate the claim.
- Availability: collect known scheduling conflicts and compare proposed dates with the court’s existing orders.
Example: records are still outstanding
If medical records have been requested but have not arrived, identify the request date and follow-up task. Do not describe the file as complete or assume the records will arrive by a particular date. Explain which next steps depend on receiving them so the proposed plan reflects the actual status of the case.
Final review
Review the conference notice and department instructions alongside the statement. Use the CM-110 and deadline guides below for the document and calendar parts of preparation.
Official forms and authorities
- California Rule of Court 3.722
- Rule 3.724: initial CMC meet and confer
- Rule 3.725: CM-110 filing and service
- Rule 3.727: conference subjects
- Rule 3.720: application and local alternatives
This guide concerns auto accidents and similar personal injury actions in California state court. It does not supply a case-specific deadline calculation or a federal court procedure.
