The article examines the stage of case preparation in Russian civil, arbitration, and administrative proceedings. The author argues that preparation should be fundamentally reconceptualized not as a merely technical pre-trial phase, but as an independent stage focused on reconciling the parties. The analysis reveals an imbalance: while the court is institutionally tasked with promoting settlement, the parties lack positive procedural duties to engage in constructive dialogue. The author proposes de lege ferenda to shift the emphasis towards the parties' obligation to demonstrate attempts at settlement and to disclose key evidence early on.