15th Judicial Circuit Court, Carroll County, Illinois Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

Leave the top-right 2-by-2-inch corner of each pleading’s first page blank for the Clerk’s stamp.

The top right 2-inch by 2-inch corner of the first page of each pleading must be left blank for the Clerk’s stamp.

CRITICAL

No more than one audio system, operated by designated personnel, is permitted.

No more than one audio system, with designated personnel to operate it, shall be permitted.

CRITICAL

A document exceeding the Vendor-set maximum file size must be divided into multiple documents, each below the maximum.

The maximum file size allowable is as determined by a Vendor’s program. If a document exceeds the maximum size allowed, the Filer must divide the document into appropriately sized parts and file multiple documents, each under the maximum file size.

CRITICAL

No more than one livestream is permitted, and it must be operated by designated personnel.

No more than one livestream of court proceedings, with designated personnel to operate it, shall be permitted.

CRITICAL

The preparer’s name, address, and telephone number must appear at the lower left of the proposed order’s last page.

The attorney or SRL preparing the order shall place his or her name, address, and telephone number at the lower left portion of the last page of the order.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

All electronically filed documents must be PDFs.

All electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

CRITICAL

News media may not move around the courtroom during proceedings or engage in movement that attracts undue attention.

News media shall not move about the courtroom while proceedings are in session, nor shall they engage in any movement attracting undue attention.

CRITICAL

Pages must be 8½ by 11 inches.

The size of the pages must be 8 ½ by 11 inches.

CRITICAL

The body text must use at least 12-point type.

The size of the type in the body of the text must be no less than 12-point font.

CRITICAL

Equipment may not be stored in the courthouse without permission.

Equipment shall not be stored in the courthouse without permission.

CRITICAL

The media coordinator is responsible for arranging pooling in accordance with the judge's order.

It is the media coordinator's responsibility to set up pooling arrangements that follow the judge's order for the proceeding.

CRITICAL

Equipment, operating personnel, and coverage must remain in areas designated by authorized court personnel, and those areas must provide reasonable access to the proceedings.

Equipment and operating personnel shall be in, and coverage of the proceedings shall take place from, an area(s) within the courtroom designated by the judge, court media liaison, or other authorized court personnel. The area(s) designated shall provide reasonable access to the proceedings to be covered.

CRITICAL

Zoom users must use their legal name as their username before entering the waiting room to be admitted.

All Zoom users must have their legal name as their username before entering the Zoom waiting room or they will not be admitted.

CRITICAL

No more than two news media representatives may perform video recording during a proceeding.

No more than two news media representatives may perform video recording during a court proceeding.

CRITICAL

Auxiliary lighting may not be used in the courtroom.

No auxiliary lighting of any kind shall be used in the courtroom.

CRITICAL

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Documents must use at least 12-point body text, 8½-by-11-inch pages, margins of at least one inch, and leave the first page’s top-right 2-by-2-inch corner blank.

The size of the type in the body of the text must be no less than 12-point font. The size of the pages must be 8 ½ by 11 inches. The margins on each side of the page must be a minimum of 1 inch. The top right 2-inch by 2-inch corner of the first page of each pleading must be left blank for the Clerk’s stamp.

CRITICAL

Microphones, wiring, and audio recording equipment must be of adequate quality to avoid interfering with courtroom amplification or electronic recording systems.

Microphones, wiring, and audio recording equipment shall be of adequate technical quality to prevent interference with courtroom amplification systems or electronic recording systems.

CRITICAL

No more than two news media representatives may take photographs during a proceeding.

No more than two news media representatives may take photos during a court proceeding.

CRITICAL

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Each page must have margins of at least one inch on all sides.

The margins on each side of the page must be a minimum of 1 inch.

CRITICAL

Microphones for counsel and judges must have power switches.

Microphones for use of counsel and judges shall be equipped with power switches.

CRITICAL

Equipment must be operated from a fixed position.

Equipment shall be operated from a fixed position.

CRITICAL

A petition to withdraw ward’s funds must be presented in person by the specified person, unless the Court waives personal presentation.

A petition to withdraw funds deposited or invested, as provided in section 24-21 of the Act or pursuant to this Rule shall be presented in person by the parent, spouse, person standing in loco parentis, or person having custody of the ward, unless the Court waives personal presentation.

CRITICAL

Financial affidavits must use the standardized statewide form available on the Illinois Supreme Court website.

The financial affidavit form shall comply with the standardized, statewide form available at the Illinois Supreme Court website.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Every electronically filed document must be in PDF format.

All electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

CRITICAL

No light or display indicating equipment operation may be detectable to participants.

Nor shall any light or other display be detectable to participants to indicate when any equipment is in operation.

CRITICAL

If a document exceeds the Vendor’s file-size limit, the Filer must split it into multiple documents that each meet the limit.

The maximum file size allowable is as determined by a Vendor’s program. If a document exceeds the maximum size allowed, the Filer must divide the document into appropriately sized parts and file multiple documents, each under the maximum file size.

CRITICAL

Filers must take all reasonable steps to ensure E-documents cannot be altered by the Vendor and print with the authoring program’s content and format.

Filers shall take all reasonable steps to ensure E-documents are unalterable by the Vendor and can be printed with the same content and format as if printed from the authoring program.

CRITICAL

The required arrest-warrant warning in covered hearing notices must appear in bold type or be underlined.

Notices of hearings to discover assets, petitions for adjudication of contempt, and any other hearing during which a warrant of arrest may issue for a party’s failure to appear after receipt of notice shall, in addition to the time, date, and place of hearing, include the following words in bold type or underlined: “Your failure to appear at this hearing may result in the issuance of a warrant for your arrest.”

CRITICAL

A financial affidavit must use the standardized statewide form available on the Illinois Supreme Court website.

The financial affidavit form shall comply with the standardized, statewide form available at the Illinois Supreme Court website.

CRITICAL

Courtroom media equipment must operate quietly and unobtrusively; personnel may be required to demonstrate compliance, and noncompliant equipment may be excluded.

(a) Equipment specifications. All equipment used by media personnel in the courtroom during court proceedings must operate quietly and without drawing attention, so as not to disrupt or distract from the proceedings. Media personnel may be required to demonstrate compliance with these requirements. Failure to do so may result in the exclusion of the equipment from the courtroom.

WARNING

The required warning in the hearing notice must be in bold type or underlined.

The notice shall include, in addition to the time, date, and place of hearing, the following words in bold type or underlined: “Your failure to appear at this hearing may result in the issuance of a warrant for your arrest.”

WARNING

The required warning in the hearing notice must be in bold type or underlined.

A notice of the hearing on a rule to show cause shall include, in addition to the time, date, and place of hearing, the following words in bold type or underlined: “Your failure to appear at this hearing may result in the issuance of a warrant for your arrest.”

WARNING

E-documents should, to the extent practicable, follow applicable rules governing the format of paper pleadings.

All E-documents shall, to the extent practicable, be formatted in accordance with the applicable Supreme Court Rules and these Rules governing the formatting of paper pleadings.

WARNING

News media are encouraged to pool equipment and personnel and must do so when courtroom space or equipment limits make pooling necessary.

News media are encouraged to pool equipment and personnel in all proceedings and must do so, when necessary, due to space limitations in the courtroom or limits on equipment, as set forth below.

WARNING

Whenever practicable, sound recording equipment and its operators should be located outside the courtroom.

Whenever practicable, sound recording equipment and its operating personnel should be located outside the courtroom.

WARNING

The judge, court media liaison, or other authorized court personnel may issue specific instructions and timeframes for equipment setup and installation.

The judge, court media liaison, or other authorized court personnel may issue specific instructions and timeframes regarding equipment setup and installation.

INFO

Counsel and SRLs should mark trial exhibits in advance with stickers when available and identify them with the appropriate party designation.

Counsel and SRLs should mark exhibits in advance of trial with exhibit stickers when available. Exhibits should be marked as “Plaintiff’s,” “Petitioner’s,” “Defendant’s,” or “Respondent’s” as appropriate.

INFO

Consistent with the cited Illinois Supreme Court policy, any number of media representatives may be designated to use portable electronic devices for notetaking or other activities during a proceeding.

In accordance with the Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Electronic Devices, any number of media representatives may be designated to use portable electronic devices during a court proceeding for notetaking or other activities.

INFO

Any number of media representatives may be designated to perform online journalism during a proceeding.

Any number of media representatives may be designated to perform online journalism (live-tweeting, blogging, posting case developments) during a court proceeding.