Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999

The court must hold a settlement conference in private and for the purpose may be constituted by a magistrate or registrar.

The court may—

adjourn the settlement conference; or

direct that a further settlement conference be held before the court as constituted or before the court constituted by someone else mentioned in subrule (1); or

make the suggestions the court considers appropriate to help in promptly disposing of the proceeding; or

make any orders necessary to give effect to a memorandum signed by parties under this rule; or

give a party the directions the court considers appropriate.

The court must record on the file any formal orders made by the court at a settlement conference, but must not keep a record of anything discussed at the conference.

At a settlement conference, any 2 or more parties or their counsel or solicitor may sign a memorandum of the results of the conference including any admissions made by the parties.

The memorandum must be attached to the file in the way the court directs at the settlement conference.

Unless the court otherwise orders, the costs of a settlement conference are costs in the proceeding and may be assessed by the court constituted for the conference, the court hearing the proceeding, or assessed under these rules.