AF Trial Docket

Division AF Trial Docket

The listing of cases is in rough order based on counsel's stated trial availability. Unless you are listed as special set or #1 for trial on a particular date, please be aware that the Court often takes cases out of order depending upon resolution and other scheduling issues. All parties should be prepared to begin at any time during the docket that does not conflict with their noted conflict dates.

The Court makes every effort to ensure that counsel has as much notice as possible prior to their starting trial date. To that end, we will advise you as soon as we know if there is a chance that you will be called on a particular day. If your matter says it is #2 - #10 for a particular day, that means that you will be called for that day in that order if the matters before yours resolve. If you are not called on that particular day, the Court will reset your matter for a different day.

Upon a case being set on a particular date (#1, #2, #3, etc.), the Court will send an email through the Court's Online System advising the parties of their position on the trial calendar. Current Divisional trial protocols will be included in the email. In addition, the Court will schedule a pretrial conference for all jury trials at which current Division AF jury procedures will be reviewed.

We will continue to update you via email as cases before yours resolve. In all cases, counsel will be given notice no later than noon the day prior to the start of trial via the Court's Online System. Please ensure your contact information is up to date in the Court's Online System or you will not receive Court trial updates.

The "Available for Trial" dates are dates for which counsel has verified there are no conflicts as of calendar call. If new conflicts should arise after calendar call, please contact chambers via email immediately. The email must be copied to all counsel and self-represented parties, and must specify the basis for and dates of the new conflict. Counsel may also wish to file a Motion and set the matter for a UMC hearing. Although Judge Bell makes every effort to accommodate counsel's personal and trial conflicts by asking about them at calendar call, new conflicts arising after calendar call only include true personal emergencies or being called up for trial in another court. IF THE COURT IS NOT TIMELY ADVISED OF CONFLICTS, THEY WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED. The filing of a Notice of Unavailability is not sufficient to advise the Court of new trial conflicts.

If the docket indicates your matter is also on the Division TD docket, your case may be transferred to Division TD if they have availability that week. The Division TD calendar can be found at TD Trial Docket. Please note that Division TD's procedures are different from those in Division AF. They can be found at TD Divisional Instructions.

Counsel in jury trials should expect to be called for a Zoom pretrial conference at some time prior to the expected trial date. Unless counsel has advised of a conflict, all parties will be expected to be available to attend pretrial conferences set by the Court.

If your matter has settled, please notify chambers immediately so that we can call up the next matter on the docket.

IF YOU NEED TO REACH CHAMBERS, YOU MAY DO SO VIA EMAIL AT CAD-DivisionAF@pbcgov.org.

(Updated 9/29)
DOCKETS: 7/28 – 9/19 and 9/8 – 10/31

NO TRIAL ON MONDAYS unless a jury is deliberating, or your case is transferred to Division TD
NO TRIAL: 9/11-9/12; 9/18-9/19, 9/23-10/3

*The NO TRIAL dates listed above do NOT apply if your case is called by Division TD

ALL PARTIES ARE ON NOTICE: REQUESTED ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED BUT PARTIES SHOULD EXPECT THEY WILL NOT BE GRANTED, AND SHOULD MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS – ZOOM APPEARANCE, PRESERVATION OF TESTIMONY, ETC.