Rule 42 - Consolidation: Separate Trials(a) Consolidation. When actions involving a common question of law or fact are pending before the court, it may order a joint hearing or trial of any matters in issue in the actions; it may order all the actions consolidated; and it may make such orders concerning proceedings therein as may tend to avoid unnecessary costs or delay.(b) Separate Trial. The court, in furtherance of convenience or to avoid prejudice, or when separate trials will be conducive to expedition and economy, may order a separate trial of any claim, cross-claim, counter-claim, or third-party claim, or of any separate issue or of any number of claims, cross-claims, counter-claims, third-party claims, or issues, always preserving inviolate the right of trial by jury as declared by Section 31 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890.(c) Counties Within a Single Circuit or Chancery Court District. When civil actions involving common questions of fact or law are pending in different counties of a single Circuit or Chancery Court district, such actions may be consolidated for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings and, if the actions do not involve trials by jury, may be consolidated for all purposes. All judges presiding over the cases to be consolidated must agree to the consolidation and to the judge who will preside over the cases for the purposes stated herein. For the purposes of this rule, "pretrial proceedings" means all matters presented to the judge prior to trial except dispositive motions.Amended 2/20/2004 to correct scrivener's error; amended effective 9/25/2014.