48Court's power to order and direct pre-trial procedures

48 Court's power to order and direct pre-trial procedures (1) In addition to any other power a court may have, a court may make any order or give any direction it considers appropriate to further the overarching purpose in relation to pre-trial procedures. (2) Without limiting subsection (1), a court may give any directions or make any orders it considers appropriate with respect to— (a) the conduct of proceedings; (b) timetables or timelines for any matters to be dealt with, including— (i) the conduct of any hearing; and (ii) the time within which specified steps in a civil proceeding must be completed; (c) the use of appropriate dispute resolution to assist in the conduct and resolution of all or part of the civil proceedings; (d) the attendance of parties and legal practitioners at a case management conference with a judicial officer to consider the most cost effective and efficient means of bringing the civil proceeding to trial and of conducting the civil proceeding, including giving further directions; (e) defining issues by pleadings or otherwise, including requiring parties or their legal practitioners to exchange memoranda, or take other steps to clarify questions; (f) the attendance of parties or their practitioners before a judicial officer for a conference for the purposes of— (i) satisfying the judicial officer that all reasonable steps to achieve resolution of the issues in dispute have been taken; or (ii) otherwise clarifying the real issues in dispute to enable appropriate directions to be given for the further conduct of the dispute or civil proceeding; or (iii) otherwise shortening the time taken in preparation for the trial and at the trial; (g) any other matter specified in rules of court.