The special court shall, prior to hearing any case under this chapter, direct the attorneys for the parties to appear before it, or in its discretion before a single judge, for a conference to consider:

1. Simplification of the issues;

2. Amendment of pleadings and filing of additional pleadings;

3. Stipulations as to facts, documents, records, photographs, plans and like matters, which will dispense with formal proof thereof, including:

a. Assessed values, if appropriate, and the ratio of assessed values to true values, as determined by the State Department of Taxation, in the county seeking to become a city, including real property, personal property, machinery and tools, merchants' capital and public service corporation assessment for each year of the five years immediately preceding;

b. School population and school enrollment in the county, as shown by the records in the office of the division superintendent of schools; and the cost of education per pupil in average daily membership as shown by the last preceding report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction;

c. Population of the county and its population density;

4. The method of taking any population census requested by the petitioner;

5. Limitation on the number of expert witnesses; each expert witness who will testify shall file a statement of his qualifications;

6. Such other matters as may aid in the disposition of the case.

The court, or the judge, as the case may be, shall make an appropriate order which will control the subsequent conduct of the case unless modified before or during the trial or hearing to prevent manifest injustice.

1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.8; 1997, c. 587; 2010, cc. 386, 629.