How does a settlement conference brief differ from a case conference brief?

A case conference brief is generally an earlier, more general document, summarizing the issues in dispute, each party's position, and outstanding disclosure needs, written at a point when the case may still be at a fairly early stage and full information may not yet be exchanged. A settlement conference brief typically comes later, after more disclosure has taken place, and is more specifically focused on presenting a party's position on how the case should actually be resolved, often including a clearer proposed settlement or outcome, since the entire purpose of that conference is to work toward resolution.

Because a settlement conference brief is prepared with more complete information and a sharper focus on resolution, it's often more detailed and persuasive in tone than an earlier case conference brief, which is more about laying out the landscape of the dispute than arguing for a specific result. Both documents need to be filed and shared with the other side in advance, and both are working documents meant to make the judge's and the parties' time at the conference more productive. Anyone preparing either document should focus on what that specific stage of the case is actually meant to accomplish.