CHANGES; CONTROL OF CAUSE
(a) Attorney of Record; Duties of Counsel. Except as provided below, no
attorney shall appear in any action or file anything in any action without first appearing
as counsel of record. An attorney of record shall be deemed responsible as attorney of
record in all matters before and after judgment until the time for appeal expires or until
there has been a formal withdrawal from or substitution in the case.
(b) Withdrawal and Substitution. With the exception of a change of counsel
within the same law firm or governmental law office, no attorney shall be permitted to
withdraw or be substituted as attorney of record in any pending action except by formal
written order of the Court, supported by written application setting forth the reasons
therefor together with the name, last known residence and last known telephone number
of the client, as follows:
(1) Where such application bears the written approval of the client, it
shall be accompanied by a proposed written order and may be presented to the Court ex
parte. The withdrawing attorney shall give prompt notice of the entry of such order,
together with the name, last known residence and last known telephone number of the
client, to all other parties or their attorneys.
(2) Where such application does not bear the written approval of the
client, it shall be made by motion and shall be served upon the client and all other parties
or their attorneys. The motion shall be accompanied by a certificate of the attorney
making the motion that (A) the client has been notified in writing of the status of the case
including the dates and times of any court hearings or trial settings, pending compliance
with any existing court orders and the possibility of sanctions, or (B) the client cannot be
located or for whatever other reason cannot be notified of the pendency of the motion and
the status of the case.
(3) No attorney shall be permitted to withdraw as attorney of record
after an action has been set for trial, (A) unless there shall be endorsed upon the
application therefore, either the signature of an attorney stating that the attorney is
advised of the trial date and will be prepared for trial, or the signature of the client stating
that the client is advised of the time and date and has made suitable arrangements to be
prepared for trial, or (B) unless the Court is otherwise satisfied for good cause shown that
the attorney should be permitted to withdraw.
(4) Where there has been a change of counsel in the same law firm or
governmental law office, an order of substitution or association is not required; the new
attorney must file a notice of substitution or association. The notice shall state the names
of the attorneys who are the subjects of the substitution or association and the current
address and e-mail address of the attorney substituting or associating. An occasional
court appearance or filing of a pleading, motion or other document at the request of an
attorney of record shall not require the filing of a notice of substitution or association.
Counsel substituted or associated pursuant to this paragraph must also comply with (b)(3)
above.
(c) Applicability of Rules.
(1) Anyone appearing before the court is bound by these Local Rules.
Any reference in these Local Rules to 'attorney' or 'counsel' applies to parties not
represented by an attorney unless the context requires otherwise.
(2) Appearance by Represented Party. Whenever a party has appeared
by an attorney, that party cannot thereafter appear or act in that party's own behalf in the
cause, or take any steps therein, unless an order of substitution shall first have been made
by the Court after notice to the attorney of each such party, and to the opposite party. The
attorney who has appeared of record for any party shall represent such party in the cause
and shall be recognized by the Court and by all the parties to the cause as having control
of the client's case, in all proper ways, and shall, as such attorney, sign all papers which
are to be signed on behalf of the client, provided that the Court may in its discretion hear
a party in open court, notwithstanding the fact that that party has appeared or is
represented by an attorney.
(d) Notice of Name and Address Changes. An attorney or unrepresented
party must file a notice of a name or address change, and an attorney must also file a
notice of a change of firm name or e-mail address. The notice must be filed no later than
fourteen (14) days before the effective date of the change, except that an unrepresented
party who is incarcerated must submit a notice within seven (7) days after the effective
date of the change. A separate notice must be filed in each active case.
(e) Ex Parte Presentations; Duty to Court. All applications to a District
Judge or Magistrate Judge of this Court for ex parte orders shall be made by an attorney
of this Court or by an individual on that individual's own behalf. In the event that any ex
parte matter or default proceeding has been presented to any District Judge, Magistrate
Judge or judicial officer and the requested relief is denied for any reason, such matter
shall not be presented to any other District Judge or Magistrate Judge or judicial officer
without making a full disclosure of the prior presentation. Counsel should be governed
by the provisions of ER 3.3 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 42, Rules of the
Supreme Court of Arizona. For a failure to comply with the provisions of this Local
Rule, the order or judgment made on such subsequent application may be vacated at any
time as a fraud upon the Court.
(f) Waiver of Service of Documents. A party who has been terminated from
a case by judgment, order, or stipulation of dismissal, and for whom the time to appeal
the termination has expired, may waive service of any further documents in the case by
filing a Notice of Waiver of Service. An attorney may waive service of documents on
associated attorneys by naming them and by certifying that the attorney is authorized to
waive service of documents on their behalf. A waiver of service does not effect a
withdrawal of an attorney from the case under paragraph (b) of this rule.
