Case management conference (CMC)

An early hearing for the court to identify and understand what the real issues in dispute are and to consider whether they can be narrowed before trial. The court will also usually exercise its broad case management powers to direct how the case should be conducted going forward, including making the first order for directions and setting a timetable for all the steps up to trial. There may be a number of CMCs during the course of a case.

For cases to which costs management applies, the costs management conference will often be combined with the CMC and referred to as the case and costs management conference or CCMC. For more information, see Practice note, The case management conference and Practice note, Costs management: overview.