Judge Michael Mandell
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Adjournments
- A request to vacate or continue a hearing must state the other parties’ position or a reasonable attempt to contact them and include a form of order.
- Email division staff when a short response or reply extension is granted; file a motion for a longer extension or one that may affect a court-ordered deadline or hearing.
Request must include
Page & Word Limits2 rules
No more than ONE Motion for Summary Judgment per side without leave of court.
The Court will consider expanding the briefing from three pages to six pages upon a showing of good cause in exceptional cases.
Document Filing Requirements4 rules
Attorney requests to withdraw filed within two weeks of a hearing must include a statement that the moving attorney notified the opposing counsel or opposing party of his/her intent to withdraw. This is just a notification to the other side; not a requirement to obtain the opposing party’s position on the issue.
Hearings are recorded by the Court; outside or personal recording is prohibited without prior court approval.
Court's wording
Each hearing is recorded through the Court’s recording system. Outside or personal recording of a hearing by any means (cell phone, tape recorder, laptop, etc.) is prohibited without prior approval from the Court.
Requests to vacate or continue a hearing must include the other parties’ position or indicate that a reasonable attempt was made to contact the other party, and a form of order.
For Rule 26(d) and many other motion, dispute-resolution, or sanctions procedures, the moving party must attach a separate statement demonstrating a good-faith effort to confer in person or by telephone, not merely by letter or email.
- Document
- Motion
Must include
- •Certificate of conference
Court's wording
Good Faith Certificate: Please remember that when using the procedures under Rule 26(d), or many other Rules governing the filing of motions, resolution of disputes, or seeking of sanctions, the moving party is required to “attach to the motion a separate statement certifying and demonstrating that the movant has tried in good faith to resolve the issue by conferring with, or attempting to confer with – the party against whom the motion is directed. The consultation must be in person or by telephone and not merely by letter or email.” Rule 7.1(h), Ariz.R.Civ.P.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
For most motions handled through eFile, lodging an electronic form of order is strongly encouraged.
Judge Mandell handles most motions through eFile, so lodging an electronic form of order is strongly encouraged.
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Courtesy Copy Requirements
Parties are responsible for submitting any necessary copies of filed documents to the division; the Clerk does not make them.
It is the party’s responsibility to make sure that any necessary copies of documents filed are submitted to the division. The Clerk of Court does not make copies for the divisions.
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Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Discovery and disclosure disputes that could be raised under Rules 26(c) or 37(a) must first follow the Rule 26(d) procedure.
Discovery Disputes Generally: This Division requires strict compliance with Ariz.R.Civ.P. 26(d), the Expedited Procedure for Resolving Discovery and Disclosure Disputes. All disputes between parties that could be addressed in motions for protective order under Rule 26(c) or motions to compel discovery or disclosure under Rule 37(a) must first proceed pursuant to Rule 26(d).
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A trial date will not be set until ADR or mediation, discovery, and dispositive motions are complete; if they are incomplete before the trial-setting conference, the parties must seek to vacate and reset it.
The Court will not set a trial date until (1) the parties have completed their ADR or Mediation; AND (2) all discovery is completed; AND (3) any dispositive motions have been fully resolved. If all of these items are NOT complete prior to a trial-setting conference, the parties must seek to vacate and reset that conference to an appropriate date.
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The Court generally will not consider discovery or nondisclosure disputes first raised after the Trial Setting Conference deadline, except disputes concerning disclosures that first occur after that deadline.
Untimely Discovery Disputes: The Court will generally not consider discovery disputes or non-disclosure disputes that are raised for the first time after the Trial Setting Conference deadline, except for disclosures occurring for the first time after the Trial Setting Conference Deadline.
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Adjournment & Extension Requirements
A request to vacate or continue a hearing must state the other parties’ position or a reasonable attempt to contact them and include a form of order.
Requests to vacate or continue a hearing must include the other parties’ position or indicate that a reasonable attempt was made to contact the other party, and a form of order.
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Email division staff when a short response or reply extension is granted; file a motion for a longer extension or one that may affect a court-ordered deadline or hearing.
If a short extension of a Response or Reply time is granted, please email division staff. For longer extensions, or extensions that may affect court-ordered deadlines or hearings, please file a motion.
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Chambers Communication Rules
The Court may explain process to self-represented parties but cannot give legal advice, and all parties are equally bound by the rules.
The Court understands that when a party is appearing in propia persona (representing him/herself without an attorney), the process can be scary and confusing. The Court will do its best to explain the process to unrepresented parties during the hearing or answer questions about process. If you have questions, it is best to ask. But the Court cannot give legal advice. Please note that all parties, whether represented by an attorney or unrepresented, are bound by the Rules equally.
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Self-represented parties are encouraged to use the free Self-Service Center for information and process assistance.
There is a Self-Service Center located on the first floor of the East Court Building where parties can obtain information and assistance with the process. Parties unrepresented by an attorney are encouraged to utilize this free service.
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Court staff may assist with process but cannot answer legal questions.
Please be courteous to Court Staff. They can be of assistance to you; however, they cannot answer legal questions.
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