Experience

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  Batts, Batts & Bell, LLP

  • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

  • Attorney - Partner

    • Sep 1993 - Present
    • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

    Joe Bell is a partner in the law firm of Batts, Batts & Bell, LLP, and handles a wide range of criminal and civil litigation matters. Joe typically handles serious felony cases in both state and federal courts, capital and non-capital murder cases in both state and federal courts, domestic matters related primarily to the equitable distribution of significant marital estates, guardianship matters, estate litigation, medical malpractice and serious personal injury matters, other general litigation matters, and appeals.Joe is a member of the North Carolina State Bar and the 8th Judicial District Bar. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association [Sections: Family Law and Criminal Justice (Criminal Justice Section Council Member 2003-2006)], Nash-Edgecombe Counties Bar Association (President 1998-2003), North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers [Sections: Family Law and Professional Negligence], National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Eastern North Carolina Inn of Court.Joe was born in Atlanta, GA, but left there at an early age and grew up in Greensboro, NC. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1984 with an A.B. in Zoology. After several years working in sales, Joe returned to law school, graduating from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1991. While in law school, Joe served as the Managing Editor of the Wake Forest Law Review. Upon his graduation, Joe spent two years clerking for the Honorable Hiram H. Ward, United States District Judge, Middle District of North Carolina. After completing his clerkship in 1993, Joe came to Rocky Mount to join the practice of his father-in-law and brothers-in-law. He is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in North Carolina, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and was admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar in 2001. Joe is also admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court.

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  Honorable Hiram H. Ward, United States District Judge

  • Winston-Salem, NC

  • Law Clerk

    • Aug 1991 - Aug 1993
    • Winston-Salem, NC

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  Commonwealth Packaging Corporation

  • Richmond, Virginia Area

  • Industrial Sales

    • Sep 1986 - Aug 1988
    • Richmond, Virginia Area

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  Westvaco Corporation - Virginia Folding Box Division

  • Richmond, Virginia Area

  • Industrial Sales

    • Jun 1984 - Sep 1986
    • Richmond, Virginia Area