A readiness hearing is a hearing in front of the judge with the prosecutor present where the parties decide if the case is going to trial, continued or some plea bargain reached. Often times, the readiness will be continued if the prosecutor or the defense is not ready due to one or more witnesses being unavailable, ongoing negotiations, additional information or additional investigation that is needed. If all of the parties are ready for trial, the judge will typically assign a date and time for the trial.