Rules of Procedure of the Unified Patent Court (RoP)

Rule 334

Case management powers

Except where the Agreement, the Statute or these Rules provide otherwise, the judge-rapporteur, the presiding judge or the panel may

• (a) extend or shorten the period for compliance with any rule, practice direction or order;
  (b) adjourn or bring forward the interim conference or the oral hearing;
  (c) communicate with the parties to instruct them about wishes or requirements of the Court;
  (d) direct a separate hearing of any issue;
  (e) decide the order in which issues are to be decided;
  (f) exclude an issue from consideration;
  (g) dismiss or decide on a claim after a decision on a preliminary issue makes a decision on further issues irrelevant to the outcome of the action.
  (h) dismiss a pleading summarily if it has no prospect of succeeding,
  (i) consolidate any matter or issue or order them to be heard together,
  (j) make any order pursuant to Rules 103 to 109.

Notes

Status: 15th draft of 31st May 2013