Judge Quintin Cushner
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Deposition Designations
Exhibits
Communication
Clerk
Phone
Clerk
Page & Word Limits2 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Mandatory
Absent good cause and leave, each party may file at most five motions in limine; they are limited to four pages, responses to four pages, and no replies are permitted.
Absent leave of Court for good cause shown, each party may file no more than five Motions in Limine. Motions in Limine should address only matters that are extremely prejudicial and could result in a mistrial. Motions in Limine should not be filed on routine evidentiary matters. Motions in Limine asking the Court to enforce a particular rule of evidence should not be filed. Motions in Limine are to be no more than four pages in length and responses are no more than four pages in length. There are no replies.
4 pages
Opposition
4 pages
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Important
Page limits may not be exceeded without leave of Court.
Page limits should not be exceeded without leave of court.
Document Format Requirements4 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Important
Include citations in the body of a brief, not in footnotes.
All citations shall be included in the body of the brief and not in footnotes.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Important
Most motions are handled through eFile; lodge a Word-format electronic order form and omit “Proposed” or “[Proposed]” from it.
This division handles most motions via eFile; please lodge a Word format electronic form of order. Please do not include the word “Proposed” or “[Proposed]” on Word format forms of order; omitting it makes e-filing more efficient for the Division.
DOCX
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Important
For lengthy documents, include only cited excerpts; the Court prefers condensed transcripts over full-size transcripts attached to motions or fact statements.
Please only include cited excerpts from lengthy documents (i.e., deposition transcripts). This Court prefers condensed transcripts to be attached to motions or fact statements rather than the full-size transcripts.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Important
Lodge proposed orders as separate Word documents in eFile, related to the accompanying filing; the word “Proposed” is unnecessary.
Proposed orders of any kind should be lodged in eFile as separate Word documents related to the filing they accompany; there is no need to include the word “Proposed” on the Word format order.
DOCX
Document Filing Requirements3 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Mandatory
Longer extensions and extensions affecting court-ordered deadlines or hearings require an e-filed motion or stipulation with a Word-format electronic order form.
For longer extensions, or those affecting Court-ordered deadlines or hearings, please e-file a motion or stipulation, lodging with it a Word format electronic form of order.
Document Type
Extension Request
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026Mandatory
An e-filed pleading with more than five exhibits must include bookmarks to every attached exhibit in the pleading’s PDF.
All e-filed pleadings, including, but not limited to, summary judgment pleadings, that contain more than 5 exhibits shall contain bookmarks to all exhibits attached to your pleading(s). All bookmarks must be contained in your e-filed pleading in pdf format.
Document Type
E Filed Pleading
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Counsel and self-represented Parties submitting courtesy copy exhibits to this division's staff shall affirm in the transmitting email that they are accurate electronic copies of the exhibits provided to the Clerk of the Superior Court, via CaseCenter or otherwise, for the hearing or trial.
Summary: When sending courtesy-copy exhibits to division staff, counsel and self-represented parties must affirm by email that the copies accurately match the exhibits provided to the Clerk for the hearing or trial.
Document Type
Courtesy Copy Exhibits
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Email necessary documents other than actual exhibits to division staff by noon on the court day before a hearing or trial.
Please plan to submit necessary documents other than actual exhibits (proposed orders, Court’s copy of exhibits per the below, etc.) via email to Division staff at least by noon the court day before a hearing or trial.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
A pleading lacking required bookmarks will be rejected; a properly bookmarked replacement must be e-filed within 14 days, and the Court may disallow a pleading not re-filed within four days.
Failure to provide the bookmarks as required above will result in the issuance of a Minute Entry rejecting the pleading. The party will be required to efile a new pleading with proper bookmarking no later than 14 days after the filing of the Minute Entry rejecting the original pleading. The Court reserves the right to disallow any pleadings that are not re-efiled within 4 days.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Do not provide exhibit materials to the Court as hard copies, on a thumb drive, or by email.
The Court does not want hard copies of the exhibits, and the Court does not want the materials on thumb drive or email.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Courtesy hard copies are not required except for deposition designations under the Trial Setting minute-entry procedure, when paper transcript copies with objection and response charts or annotations are helpful.
Judge Cushner does not require courtesy hard copies of any item, unless you are submitting deposition designations per the procedure noted in the Trial Setting minute entry. Only then are paper copies of designated deposition transcripts with objection and response charts/annotations helpful.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
Filing Bundling Requirements
Do not combine multiple motions, a response and motion, or a reply and motion in one filing; requests for attorney fees or sanctions must be made by separate motion.
No party should include more than one motion in a single filing or combine a response and a motion or a reply and a motion in one filing. This applies to requests for attorneys’ fees or sanctions. Such requests should be made by separate motion.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Jury exhibit notebooks are encouraged; counsel should discuss their contents and try to agree, with disagreements addressed at the pretrial management conference.
Jury exhibit notebooks are encouraged. Counsel should discuss the notebooks and try to agree on what goes in the notebook. If they disagree, then this can be discussed at the pre-trial management conference.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Joint Pre-Trial Memo and/or Conference; Exhibits and Objections
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Motions in limine may not be filed in bench trials without leave of Court.
Motions in Limine should not be filed in bench trials without leave of Court.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Each party may file no more than five motions in limine absent leave of Court for good cause shown.
Absent leave of Court for good cause shown, each party may file no more than five Motions in Limine.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Supplemental briefing may not be filed without leave of Court.
No party should file supplemental briefing without leave of Court.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Each party may file only one summary judgment motion unless the Court grants leave for good cause shown.
The Court permits only one Motion for Summary Judgment per party absent leave of Court for good cause shown.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Discovery and disclosure disputes that could be addressed under Rules 26(c) or 37(a) must first follow Rule 26(d)’s expedited procedure.
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).
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
Full briefing of covered discovery disputes requires advance Court permission; unauthorized full briefing may result in summary denial, though the Court may later permit it.
The Court may decide to later permit full briefing under Ariz. R. Civ. P. 26(d)(1), but the parties may not engage in full briefing without the advance permission of the Court. Attempted full briefing without advance permission of the Court subjects any such motion by a party to summary denial.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Discovery or Disclosure Disputes and/or Sanctions
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.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Trial Schedule
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
When the parties agree to a brief extension of a response or reply deadline, email division staff and copy all counsel and self-represented parties.
If agreement on a brief extension of a response or reply deadline is reached, please email division staff at (CVJ03@JBAZMC.maricopa.gov), copying all counsel and self-represented parties to advise of that.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Motion Practice
Chambers Communication Rules
Do not message a testifying witness or side-chat a party during a virtual proceeding; advise clients and witnesses that the same courtroom formalities and prohibitions apply.
In any event, do not use Court Connect, GoToMeeting, or any other text or electronic platform to chat or message a witness while they are testifying or to side-chat any party in a virtual proceeding. Chat-logs are public and permanent, and virtual court proceedings operate with the same formality and prohibitions as in-person proceedings. Please advise clients and witnesses of the same.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Other Courtroom Policies and Recommendations
Division staff may be reached by telephone or email at the listed contact details.
Division Staff are reachable via (602) 372-2366 and via email at CVJ03@JBAZMC.maricopa.gov.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026
Page 1 | Specific Requirements or Preferences
Do not email Judge Cushner directly about a case or use an electronic platform to chat with the Judge, whether on or off the record.
Please do not email Judge Cushner directly about a case, even if you copy all counsel on the email. Please also do not use Court Connect, GoToMeeting, or any other electronic platform to ‘chat’ Judge Cushner, whether we are on the record or off the record at the time.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Other Courtroom Policies and Recommendations
Contact division staff, rather than the Judge directly, to communicate with the Division.
If you need to communicate with the Division, please contact staff at the email addresses listed above.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Other Courtroom Policies and Recommendations
Counsel may use courtroom electronic equipment and should schedule an appointment with court staff before trial to discuss its use.
Electronic equipment is available in the courtroom, which counsel are free to use. Please make an appointment before trial with court staff to talk about how to use the equipment.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Trial Practice and Procedure
Report an agreed brief response or reply extension by email to division staff, copying all counsel and self-represented parties.
If agreement on a brief extension of a response or reply deadline is reached, please email division staff at (CVJ03@JBAZMC.maricopa.gov), copying all counsel and self-represented parties to advise of that.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Motion Practice
The Court will try to explain procedure to self-represented parties but cannot give legal advice, and all parties are bound by the rules equally.
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.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Motion Practice