Judge Christian Bell
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Document Format Requirements1 rule
Motions, responses, and related pleadings shall comply with the page length, font type, and other requirements of the Rules.
Document Filing Requirements6 rules
Motions or stipulations shall be filed with proposed orders.
- Document
- Motion or stipulation
Must include
- •Proposed order
RMC and Pre-Trial/Pre-Hearing Statements are required, because they are important to the Court.
If you file a motion for leave to exceed the page length of a pleading, you will need to provide specific reasons. A generic statement that you need more pages may result in denial of your motion.
The Court requires a written motion or stipulation to schedule, reschedule, or vacate hearings.
Your statements need to inform the Court of any prior settlements, the issues still in dispute, and the current positions being taken by the parties.
If a proposed order is applicable to the motion, and it is not submitted with the motion, the Court reserves the right to reject your motion until it is accompanied by a proposed form of order.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Non-emergency pleadings may not be filed by email.
The Court will not accept non-emergency pleadings by email.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
When hand-filing a pleading, provide the Court a conformed copy; a motion’s copy may be placed in the Division mailbox or emailed to the Division.
If you hand-file a pleading, make sure the Court receives a conformed copy. Otherwise, we may not know that you have filed a motion, and this will contribute to a delay in ruling on your pleading. Please place a conformed copy of your motion in the Division’s mailbox or email a conformed copy to the Division.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
The Court will rule only on properly filed pleadings, except in true emergency situations.
Except in true emergency situations, the Court will rule only on properly filed pleadings.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
Filing Bundling Requirements
File each motion separately and designate it as a motion.
All motions are to be filed separately and designated as such.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
A motion may not be combined with a responsive pleading.
Do not combine any motion with a responsive pleading.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Pleadings filed in combination with another pleading will not be accepted.
No pleadings filed in combination with another will be accepted.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Motions, responses, replies, and other Court-requested filings must be submitted individually.
The Division requires that all motions, responses, replies, and other Court-requested filings in your case must be submitted individually.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
The Court will not schedule, reschedule, or vacate a hearing without a filed motion.
The Court will not schedule, reschedule, or vacate hearings without the filing of a motion.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Counsel must make a good-faith effort to resolve discovery disputes before bringing them to the Court.
Counsel must try in good faith to resolve discovery disputes before bringing it to the Court, pursuant to Rule 9(c).
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
Unless the parties use the expedited Joint Statement procedure, a discovery dispute must begin with a Motion to Compel or another appropriate discovery or disclosure motion.
Otherwise, the dispute must commence with a Motion to Compel, or other appropriate discovery or disclosure motion.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
For discovery disputes, parties must demonstrate that they met and conferred; merely asserting an attempt is insufficient.
It is not enough to say you tried; the Court takes very seriously your duty to meet and confer and will expect you to demonstrate that you have done so.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
The Court generally does not accept impromptu virtual hearings during depositions, but exceptions may be made.
The Court generally does not accept impromptu virtual hearings during depositions, although there may be exceptions.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
For substantive evidentiary hearings or oral arguments not set during a hearing, the Court will hold a brief virtual status conference to schedule them.
In regard to any substantive evidentiary hearings or oral arguments that are not set during a hearing, the Court will set a brief, virtual status conference to schedule a date and time for the substantive hearing.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Motions to strike are strongly discouraged; the Court advises making the point in a responsive pleading instead.
Motions to Strike are strongly discouraged and often are not even countenanced by the Rules. Make your point in your responsive pleading.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Parties may expedite a discovery dispute by filing a Joint Statement of Discovery Dispute under Rule 26(d).
If the parties want to expedite the discovery dispute, they may file a Joint Statement of Discovery Dispute pursuant to Rule 26(d) of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
If more time for a response or reply is necessary, the parties are encouraged to seek agreement and submit a stipulation.
If an extension of response or reply time is necessary, try to reach agreement among the parties, and submit a stipulation.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Chambers Communication Rules
A telephonic or email request will not suffice to set a discovery-dispute hearing.
The Court will not set a discovery dispute hearing based on a telephonic or email request.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
Written communications to the Division must copy all other counsel or unrepresented parties.
For any written communication, including an email, you must copy all other counsel or unrepresented parties on any written communication to the Division.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
Do not contact the judge directly, even when other counsel are copied on the email.
Please do not attempt to contact me directly, even if you copy other counsel on the email.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
If contacting the Court during a deposition is absolutely necessary, parties must first notify Court Staff and email a brief summary of the dispute.
If the parties find it absolutely necessary to contact the Court during a deposition, the parties will first need to notify Court Staff of the dispute and email a brief summary of the dispute.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
The Division will not act on written communications until all attorneys and litigants are copied.
Written communications that do not comply with this requirement will not be acted upon until all attorneys and/or litigants are copied.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
Do not contact Court Staff for legal advice or to clarify or explain court rulings.
Please note: Court Staff is not permitted to give legal advice, clarify, or explain rulings issued by the Court. Please do not contact Court Staff to ask legal questions.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
The Division may be contacted by phone at 602–372-1641.
Judge Bell’s Division can be contacted by phone at 602–372-1641.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
The Division’s email address is DRJ18@JBAZMC.Maricopa.gov.
The Division’s email address is: DRJ18@JBAZMC.Maricopa.gov
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences