(1) All trials upon the merits, except as provided in Rule 43.04, shall be conducted in open court and, so far as convenient, in a regular court room. All other acts or proceedings, except jury trials, may be done or conducted by a judge in chambers without the attendance of the clerk or other court officials, and at any place either within or without the judicial district; but no hearing, other than one ex parte, shall be conducted outside the judicial district without the consent of all parties affected thereby.

(2) At least once each year trial courts shall review all pending actions on their dockets. Notice shall be given to each attorney of record of every case in which no pretrial step has been taken within the last year, that the case will be dismissed in thirty days for want of prosecution except for good cause shown. The court shall enter an order dismissing without prejudice each case in which no answer or an insufficient answer to the notice is made.