Circuit Court of Boone County, Illinois (17th Judicial Circuit) Pre-Motion Conference Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

A party objecting to a draft order must personally consult with its drafter within 21 days after the oral ruling and, if unresolved, file the specified motion slip, notice, and any applicable motion within 21 days to set a hearing before the issuing judge.

Any party objecting to the form of the draft order shall personally consult with the drafter within twenty-one (21) days after the oral ruling and, if the objections are not reconciled, the objector shall within twenty-one (21) days of the oral ruling, file a motion slip and notice and, if applicable, an appropriate motion, setting the matter for hearing by the judge who issued the oral ruling or judgment.

CRITICAL

A party seeking to defer mediation must file a detailed motion within 14 days of referral, schedule it before mediation, notify interested parties and any appointed mediator, and mediation pauses until the motion is decided.

Within 14 days of the Order of Referral, any party may file a motion with the court to defer the proceeding. The movant shall set the motion to defer for hearing prior to the scheduled date for mediation. Notice of the hearing shall be provided to all interested parties, including any mediator who has been appointed. The motion shall set forth, in detail, the facts and circumstances supporting the motion. Mediation shall be tolled until disposition of the motion.

CRITICAL

A written request for remote appearance must be filed at least three business days beforehand with notice to all parties and, for an attorney's request, the client.

b. By filing a written motion at least three business days in advance with notice to all parties, and if it is an attorney who wishes to appear remotely, notice must also be provided to his or her client.

CRITICAL

For interpretation exceeding 15 minutes, the party or counsel must move for appointment of an interpreter and provide the resulting order to Trial Court Administration within two business days, at least three weeks before a Spanish-language appearance or four weeks before other-language appearances.

If at any time an LEP party requires interpreting services for a duration of more than fifteen minutes (for example a plea, prove-up, evidentiary hearing, trial), the LEP party, or his or her attorney, shall (i) file a motion to appoint an interpreter, directed to the judge presiding, and (ii) provide a copy of any Order generated regarding interpreting services to Trial Court Administration within 2 business days of the order being generated, but not less than three weeks prior to scheduled court date for Spanish requests or four weeks prior for all other languages.

CRITICAL

No judgment may be entered until mediation has occurred.

The Court shall prohibit any judgment from being entered until mediation has taken place.

WARNING

A party may move to dispense with mediation within 14 days after referral on a listed ground.

A party may move, within 14 days after the Order of Referral, to dispense with mediation if:

WARNING

Mediation may not occur while an order of protection exists between the parties until the court makes further inquiry.

If there is an order of protection between the parties then mediation shall not take place until further inquiry of the Court.

WARNING

Participants seeking a future remote appearance must request permission through one of the listed methods.

Court participants who wish to appear remotely for a future court appearance shall make such a request to the Court by:

WARNING

A party may seek termination of mediation for good cause by motion after the Notice of Entry and must email the motion notice to the Program Administrator when filing.

Any party to a residential foreclosure case may object to mediation after the issuance of the Notice of Entry described in Section M. The objecting party shall file a motion with the court requesting the termination of mediation efforts for good cause shown. Notice of any such motion shall be sent by the filing party to the Program Administrator via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at the time of filing.

WARNINGCivil cases

Emergency motions must be presented to the assigned judge, who determines the hearing time; in that judge’s absence, the chief judge or designee may assign another judge, and emergency motions receive precedence so far as possible.

Emergency motions shall be presented to the judge to whom the case is assigned and shall be heard at such time as that judge may determine. In the absence of the judge to whom the case is assigned, the chief judge, or designee, may assign the case to another judge for hearing. Precedence, so far as possible, shall be given to emergency motions over other judicial business.

INFO

Pro se small-claims litigants must be offered the opportunity to mediate at the first return date.

All pro se small claims litigants shall be given the opportunity to participate in mediation at the first return date.