= 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; <<BR>>
 (b) adjourn or bring forward the interim conference or the oral hearing; <<BR>>
 (c) communicate with the parties to instruct them about wishes or requirements of the Court; <<BR>>
 (d) direct a separate hearing of any issue; <<BR>>
 (e) decide the order in which issues are to be decided; <<BR>>
 (f) exclude an issue from consideration; <<BR>>
 (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.<<BR>> 
 (h) dismiss a pleading summarily if it has no prospect of succeeding, <<BR>>
 (i) consolidate any matter or issue or order them to be heard together, <<BR>>
 (j) make any order pursuant to Rules [[UPCA_RoP_103|103]] to [[UPCA_RoP_109|109]]. 

== Notes ==

'''Status:''' [[UPCA_RoP_15th_Draft|15th draft of 31st May 2013]]