About Joseph James
Joseph James Bell is a licensed attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1980. His license is currently in active status. Mr. Bell is the founder and principal attorney at the Law Office of Joseph J. Bell, a firm specializing in family law and juvenile matters, located in Grass Valley, California. He has been practicing law for over 45 years, serving clients primarily in Nevada and Placer Counties.
Mr. Bell earned his Juris Doctor degree from the New College of California School of Law in 1979. Prior to law school, he completed his undergraduate education at the University of Nevada, where he obtained a degree in Political Science in 1969. During his time at New College, he gained practical experience through clerkships, including a position at the San Francisco Neighborhood Legal Assistance Foundation, where he worked on social security and disability administrative appeals, as well as family and housing litigation.
Mr. Bell concentrates his practice in the areas of family law, juvenile dependency, and civil litigation. He represents individuals and families in matters involving divorce, child custody, child support, and guardianship. His practice encompasses all stages of litigation, including initial case evaluation, discovery, mediation, settlement negotiations, and trial proceedings in both state and federal courts. He is also a trained mediator and private settlement judge, offering alternative dispute resolution services to clients seeking amicable resolutions.
Throughout his career, Mr. Bell has handled cases in the Superior Court of California for the County of Nevada, the Superior Court of California for the County of Placer, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. He has also appeared before the California Court of Appeal on multiple occasions. Prior to founding his own firm, he worked as the supervising attorney at Nevada County Legal Assistance, Inc., handling family, consumer, public benefits, and general civil matters for low-income Nevada County residents.
Mr. Bell is an active member of the Nevada County Bar Association, where he has served as a member at large. He is also a member of the California Lawyers Association and the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, where he served as president in 2009. He has been certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California since 1995. Additionally, he has been involved in pro bono work for various non-profit organizations and has served as a lecturer for continuing legal education programs in family law.
