Judge Melissa Zabor
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Communication
Phone
Chambers
Document Format Requirements2 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Important
Motions, responses, and related pleadings must comply with the Rules’ page-length, font-type, and other requirements.
Motions, responses, and related pleadings shall comply with the page length, font type, and other requirements of the Rules.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
Motions or stipulations shall be filed with proposed orders. If emailed to the Division, please submit the proposed order in Word format.
Summary: A proposed order emailed to the Division must be submitted in Word format.
Word Perfect
Document Filing Requirements3 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Mandatory
Motions and stipulations must be filed with proposed orders; an emailed proposed order must be in Word format, and a motion for which an order is applicable may be rejected until the proposed order is provided.
Motions or stipulations shall be filed with proposed orders. If emailed to the Division, please submit the proposed order in Word format. 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.
Document Type
Motion Or Stipulation
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Mandatory
A motion for leave to exceed a pleading’s page limit must state specific reasons; a generic request may be denied.
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.
Document Type
Motion For Leave To Exceed Page Limit
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
The Court requires a written motion or stipulation to schedule, reschedule, or vacate hearings. The Court will not schedule, reschedule, or vacate hearings without the filing of a motion.
Summary: Scheduling, rescheduling, or vacating a hearing requires a written motion or stipulation, and the Court will not act without a filed motion.
Document Type
Motion Or Stipulation To Schedule Hearing
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
For a hand-filed pleading, the Court must receive a conformed copy; a motion copy may be placed in the Division’s mailbox, sent through Family Administration, or emailed to the Division with all other parties or counsel included.
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, which will contribute to a delay in ruling on your pleading. Please place a conformed copy of your motion in the Division’s mailbox, provide a conformed copy to Family Administration to forward to the Division, or email a conformed copy to the Division, including all other parties or counsel.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Filing Bundling Requirements
Motions, responses, replies, and other court-requested filings must be submitted individually; motions must be filed separately and designated as motions, and combined pleadings will not be accepted.
The Division requires that all motions, responses, replies, and other Court requested filings in this case must be submitted individually. Do not combine any motion with a responsive pleading. All motions are to be filed separately and designated as such. No pleadings will be accepted if filed in combination with another.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Counsel must make a good-faith effort to resolve discovery disputes and demonstrate that they met and conferred before bringing the dispute to the Court.
Counsel must try in good faith to resolve discovery disputes before bringing it to the Court, pursuant to Rule 9(c). 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.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
Parties may use a Joint Statement of Discovery Dispute to expedite resolution; otherwise, a discovery dispute must begin with a Motion to Compel or another appropriate discovery or disclosure motion.
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. Otherwise, the dispute must commence with a Motion to Compel, or other appropriate discovery or disclosure motion.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
When additional response or reply time is necessary, parties should try to agree 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.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Chambers Communication Rules
The Court will not set a discovery dispute hearing based on a telephone or email request.
The Court will not set a discovery dispute hearing based on a telephonic or email request.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
Written communications to the Division must copy all other counsel or unrepresented parties; noncompliant communications will be discarded, and Judge Zabor must not be contacted directly.
For any written communication to the Division, including an email, you must copy all other counsel or unrepresented parties. Written communications that do not comply with this requirement are considered ex-parte and will be discarded with no action taken. Please do not attempt to contact Judge Zabor directly.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
Court Staff may not provide legal advice or clarify or explain court rulings, and should not be contacted with legal questions.
Please note: Court Staff is not permitted to provide legal advice, clarify, or explain rulings issued by the Court. Please do not contact Court Staff to ask legal questions.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
Video appearance is preferred and expected for virtual hearings, but telephonic appearance is permitted if technical difficulties prevent video participation.
Please note: Video appearance is preferred and expected by the Court for virtual hearings. You may join telephonically if you have technical difficulties appearing by video.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences