(law) a conference held before the trial begins to bring the parties together to outline discovery proceedings and to define the issues to be tried; more useful in civil than in criminal cases

(法律) 訴訟開始前に開かれる会議で、各当事者を集めて証拠開示手続きを整理し、争点を明確にするためのもの。刑事事件よりも民事事件で有用。