Judge Christel Bio; Stipulated Motions; Discovery Disputes; Information for Pro Se Litigants in Civil Cases

=== Judge Christel Bio ===

Judge Christel has been a Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Washington since 2007 in a part-time capacity for southwest Washington for eight years and in a full-time position in Tacoma since April, 2015. After being raised in Tacoma, Judge Christel earned his undergraduate degree from Washington State University in 1979 and law degree from the University of Washington in 1985. Before law school, he worked for his national fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega. His legal career started with the firm of Diamond & Sylvester in Seattle in the commercial litigation group. He then joined Blair, Schaefer, Hutchison and Wynne in Vancouver, Washington before establishing his own firm in 2002. Over his legal career, he represented a major credit union, small businesses, and individuals with a focus on transactions, real estate, probate, guardianships, and business formation. Committed to the community, Judge Christel served as a Board Member for the Vancouver School District and the Clark County Bar Association, volunteered as a hearings officer for school district discipline hearings, was active in Rotary International (serving as President), coached youth sports, and worked as a high school and college basketball referee where he officiated state tournament championship games.

=== Stipulated Motions ===

Stipulated Motions Stipulated motions should be filed as a “stipulated motion” rather than a “stipulation,” “agreed motion,” or “unopposed motion.” Stipulated motions may be noted for the day they are filed, but may not necessarily be signed that day. When filing stipulations, include a proposed order for the Judge to sign and send a Word version of the order to [email protected].

=== Discovery Disputes ===

Discovery Disputes Judge Christel strongly encourages parties to make every effort to resolve discovery disputes without the Court’s intervention. The Court strictly construes the meet and confer requirements. To the extent motions practice is necessary, Judge Christel encourages parties utilize the expedited discovery dispute procedures described in W.D. Wash. LCR 37(a)(2). Should the parties elect to utilize LCR 37(a)(2), the moving party is directed to file the joint motion on CM/ECF under the “Expedited Joint Motion for Discovery Pursuant to LCR 37(a)(2)” event. Parties may also request a telephonic discovery motion pursuant to LCR 7(i).

=== Information for Pro Se Litigants in Civil Cases ===

Information for Pro Se Litigants in Civil Cases Parties who represent themselves in civil litigation, i.e., appear pro se, should be aware that the Court extends no special consideration to pro se litigants and holds these parties to the same standards to which it holds attorneys. The following links may be helpful to those representing themselves in civil matters: General information on forms, fees, and how to file a motion for appointment of counsel can be found at: http://www.wawd.uscourts.gov/pro-se Local Court Rules for the Western District of Washington can be found at: https://www.wawd.uscourts.gov/local-rules-and-orders Federal Rules of Civil Procedure can be found at: https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp To inquire into a lawyer referral, pro se parties can contact either the Washington State Bar Association at www.wsba.org, the King County Bar Association at www.kcba.org, the Tacoma- Pierce County Bar Association at www.tpcba.com, or other county bar associations.