A status conference is a court-ordered meeting with a judge

Judge

A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...

 (or under some circumstances an authorized counsel) where they decide the date of the trial

Trial

A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...

.

If a party does not attend the status conference, that party's requests for scheduling changes will be ignored. If the plaintiff

Plaintiff

A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...

and/or a representative of plaintiff does not attend the status conference, the action may be dismissed.