7 C.F.R. § 283.29 – Scheduling conference.

(a) Time and place. The ALJ shall direct the parties or their counsel to attend a scheduling conference following the filing of a notice of appeal pursuant to § 283.25. The scheduling conference shall be held at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. Reasonable notice of the time and place of the scheduling conference shall be given. The ALJ may order each of the parties to furnish at the scheduling conference the following:
1. (1) An outline of the appeal or defense;
2. (2) The legal theories upon which the party will rely;
3. (3) Copies of or a list of documents that the party anticipates relying upon;
(b) Procedures. The ALJ shall not order any of the foregoing procedures that a party can show are inappropriate or unwarranted under the circumstances of the particular appeal.
(c) Scheduling conference. At the scheduling conference, the following matters shall be considered:
1. (1) The simplification of issues;
2. (2) The necessity of amendments to pleadings;
3. (3) Stipulations of facts and of the authenticity, accuracy, and admissibility of documents;
4. (4) Negotiation, compromise, or settlement of issues;
5. (5) The exchange of copies of proposed exhibits;
6. (6) The nature of and the date by which discovery, as provided in § 283.28, must be completed;
7. (7) The identification of documents or matters of which official notice may be requested;
8. (8) A schedule to be followed by the parties for the filing of cross-motions for summary judgment and completion of other actions decided at the conference; and
9. (9) Such other matters as may expedite and aid in the disposition of the appeal.
(d) Reporting. A scheduling conference will not be stenographically reported unless so directed by the ALJ.
(e) Attendance at scheduling conference. In the event the ALJ concludes that personal attendance by the ALJ and the parties or counsel at a scheduling conference is unwarranted or impractical, but decides that a conference would expedite the appeal, the ALJ may conduct such conference by telephone.
(f) Order. Actions taken as a result of a conference shall be reduced to an appropriate written order, unless the ALJ concludes that a stenographic report shall suffice.