Rule 7.4.Joint filings.

Last verified July 1, 2026

In one sentenceRule 7.4 requires parties ordered to jointly prepare and file a document to cooperate in good faith, lets each side draft its own clearly labeled section, allows a cooperating party to file separately when another side will not participate, and authorizes sanctions for violating these duties.

Full Text of Rule 7.4

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(a) Duties. If a rule or order requires parties to jointly prepare and file a document with the court, each party must:

(1) make itself reasonably available to participate in preparing the document;

(2) promptly respond to communications from any other party concerning the document;

(3) cooperate and make a good faith effort to resolve differences about the document’s content, format, and the manner in which it will be filed; and

(4) assure that the document is timely filed.

(b) Separate sections. If a rule or order allows it, each party or side may prepare its own section of a joint filing, but each section must be clearly identified as being separately prepared by that party or side. A party or side may not make changes to another party’s or side’s section of a draft joint filing.

(c) Separate filing. If the filing of a joint document becomes impractical because another party fails to comply with its duties under this rule, a party may prepare and file a document on its own behalf. If it does so, the filing’s title must indicate that the party is filing it separately from the other party.

(d) Sanctions. A court may sanction any party who violates any of its duties under this rule.

End

Amendment History

Promulgated by R-16-0010, effective January 1, 2017.

Plain-English Summary

When a rule or court order calls for a jointly prepared filing, each party must make itself available to help draft it, respond promptly to the other side’s communications about it, work in good faith to resolve disagreements over its content and format, and make sure it gets filed on time.

If the governing rule or order allows it, each side may write its own section of the document, as long as that section is clearly marked as separately prepared — and no party may edit another side’s portion. When a joint filing becomes impractical because another party will not cooperate, the party that is ready may file its own document alone, so long as the title makes clear it is being filed separately. A court may sanction any party that violates its duties under this rule.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must each party do when the court orders a joint filing?

Make itself available to help draft it, respond promptly to the other side, cooperate in good faith over content and format, and help ensure it's filed on time.

Can one party edit another party's section of a joint filing?

No, each side's separately prepared section stands on its own.

What can a party do if another side refuses to cooperate on a required joint filing?

File its own document alone, with the title noting that it is filed separately from the other party.

Can a court penalize a party for not cooperating on a joint filing?

Yes, sanctions are available against any party that violates its duties under this rule.

Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the official Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure (Ariz. R. Civ. P. 7.4). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: joint filingsjoint reportcooperation duties