Circuit Court of Cook County Document Format Requirements

E-filed documents must be in PDF; text searchable PDF preferred; proposed orders must be word processing converted to PDF.

Source text: _Document file formats_. Documents filed in the EFM must be in Portable Document Format (PDF). It is the filer's responsibility, to the extent feasible, to file documents in text searchable PDF. The Clerk's Office shall provide on the Website a means by which a filer may convert documents to PDF at no fee to the filer and a means by which a filer may convert documents to text searchable PDF, for which any applicable fees shall be the exclusive property of the vendor providing said conversion service. i. Documents shall be submitted in PDF or text searchable PDF format as follows: (1) Documents created in electronic format shall be converted to PDF; or, to the extent feasible, text searchable PDF directly from the program used to create the document, rather than from the scanned image of the paper document; (2) Documents only in paper format may be scanned and converted to PDF; or to the extent feasible text searchable PDF; (3) If a proposed order is filed in the case, it must be created in a word processing program and converted to PDF or, to the extent feasible, text searchable PDF by the program used to create it.

Word processing documents must use ≥12pt body font, ≥10pt footnotes, 8.5x11" paper, 1" margins, and blank 2x2" top right first page corner.

Source text: _Document font, size, and margins_. Unless otherwise required by statute or rule, documents created by word processing programs must be formatted as follows: i. the size of the type in the body of the text must be no less than 12 point font, and in footnotes no less than 10 point font; ii. the size of the pages must be 8 1/2" by 11"; iii. the margins on each side of the page must each be a minimum of 1"; and iv. the top right 2" x 2" corner of the first page of each document shall be left blank for the Clerk's stamp.

Bulk filings allow multiple 5MB files; different cases must be separate files/transactions; same case multiple docs can be same transaction but separate PDFs.

Source text: _Bulk Filing and Multiple Documents_. i. Documents in bulk filings may include more than one 5 MB file. Files from different cases shall be uploaded separately and shall not be combined in the same PDF file. ii. Multiple documents with the same case number may be filed in the same transaction and shall not be combined in the same PDF file. iii. Multiple documents for different cases shall be filed in separate transactions, except for initial filings included in a bulk filing.

E-filed documents may not exceed 5 MB; large documents may be split into multiple files.

Source text: _Maximum File Size_. No file or document may contain more than 5 MB (megabytes) of data, as determined by the EFM. To comply with this requirement, an electronically filed document may be divided into parts and submitted as multiple files.

Remote proceeding courtesy copies and proposed orders must be emailed in PDF, one email per case, 2-5 business days prior to court date; multiple emails prohibited.

Source text: All courtesy copies and proposed orders shall be e-mailed in PDF format to the judge in one e-mail per case no less than two (2) business days but no more than five (5) business days in advance of the assigned court date. Multiple e-mails for the same case will not be accepted.

Calendar 14 mediation courtesy copies not exceeding 20 pages must be emailed in PDF format.

Source text: Any courtesy copies sent via e-mail not exceeding 20 pages shall be e-mailed in PDF format as follows: Calendar 14: Judge Malone, daniel.malone@cookcountyil.gov.

Required documents for decedent's estate agreed order requests submitted via email must be in PDF format.

Source text: All required documents shall be emailed in PDF format as follows:

Required documents for guardianship agreed order requests submitted via email must be in PDF format.

Source text: All required documents shall be e-mailed in PDF format as follows:

Pleadings and motions submitted as courtesy copies must be in PDF format.

Source text: Pleadings and Motions must be sent in .pdf format and otherwise comply with this standing order.

Exhibits attached to pleadings must be clearly marked.

Source text: Pleadings that attach exhibits must include a table of contents, and the exhibits must be clearly marked.

Evidentiary hearing deposition transcripts must use at least 11-point font.

Source text: full transcripts of evidence depositions, with text in at least 11-point font, to be used at the hearing marked by each party to identify portions to be offered;

Trial deposition transcripts must use at least 11-point font.

Source text: full transcripts of evidence depositions, with text in at least 11-point font, to be used at trial, marked by each party to identify portions to be offered;

Trial exhibits must be bound in separate tabbed binders with table of contents and exhibit list.

Source text: a complete set of separate bound, pre-marked, and tabbed set of all trial exhibits as follows: one binder for joint exhibits, one binder for plaintiff’s exhibits, and one binder for defendant’s exhibits. Each binder shall include a table of contents within the set itself and an exhibit list that identifies each exhibit, and whether any party objects to a particular exhibit, save for in the joint-exhibit binder. The exhibits shall be identified numerically, not by letter designations, and shall all be separately tabbed.

Deposition transcripts cited in briefing must use at least 11-point font.

Source text: If a deposition is cited, a copy of the entire transcript, with text in at least 11-point font, must be provided.

Illinois citations must use official reporters, no N.E. or Ill. Dec.; post-July 2011 IL cases must use public domain citations; unpublished cases cite LEXIS; out-of-state citations use LEXIS reporters.

Source text: Citations: Illinois case citations must be to the official Illinois Reporters (Ill., Ill. App., etc.). Parties shall not include citations to the North Eastern Reporter (N.E., N.E. 2d, etc.) or Illinois Decisions (Ill. Dec.). For Illinois cases filed after July 1, 2011, litigants must cite to the public domain system. See Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 6. Unpublished case citations must be to LEXIS. Out-of-state citations may be made to any reporter available on LEXIS. The Court reserves the right not to entertain arguments made without citation to legal authority, and may deem such arguments as waived.

Margins must be 1 or 1.25 inches on all sides, and documents must use 8.5 x 11-inch paper.

Source text: Margins: Margins must be 1 or 1.25 inches on all sides and on 8.5 x 11-inch paper.

Briefs must be double-spaced and written in 12-point Times New Roman font.

Source text: Font: Briefs must be double-spaced and written in 12-point Times New Roman font.

Draft orders must be submitted in Word format; all other motion-related documents must be PDF.

Source text: Provide draft orders in Word format and all other documents (e.g., motion, notices, exhibits) in PDF format.

Briefs must use 12-point font, 1-inch margins, double spacing; non-compliant briefs require leave of court.

Source text: Briefs must contain customary 12 point font, one inch margins and be double-spaced. Briefs filed in excess of these limitations will not be accepted or considered without leave of Court upon written motion containing good cause.

Agreed orders submitted via email must be in Word format.

Source text: If the parties wish to provide an agreed order, in Word format, to the Court via email that will be permitted.

All exhibits must be page numbered and tabbed.

Source text: All exhibits should be page numbered and tabbed.

All briefs must be typed in 12-point font and double spaced.

Source text: All briefs should be typed in 12-point and double spaced.

All exhibits must be page-numbered and tabbed.

Source text: All exhibits should be page-numbered and tabbed.

All briefs must be double-spaced, 12-point font, with at least 1-inch margins.

Source text: All briefs should be double-spaced with 12-point font and at least 1-inch margins.

Video exhibits for courtesy copies must be on flash drive with no passwords.

Source text: All videos produced on a flash drive without any passwords required to view.

Briefs submitted as courtesy copies must be double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins, double-sided, numbered pages, max 15 pages.

Source text: All briefs shall be: (1) double-spaced with numbered pages; (2) typed in 12-point font with 1-inch margins; and (3) double-Sided, Briefs shall not exceed 15 pages unless specifically allowed by the Court.

Electronic courtesy copies must be organized, searchable, with exhibits attached; filenames must include YYYY-MM-DD filing date and document ID.

Source text: Electronic courtesy copies of all documents shall be delivered to the court in an organized and searchable format with exhibits properly attached and marked. a. Any electronic files submitted to the court shall state in the filename (1) the date the document was filed in the form YYYY-MM-DD; and (2) identification of what the document is.

Deposition transcripts must be formatted in mini-script (4 pages per 1 page) and double-sided.

Source text: any deposition transcripts submitted in mini-script, 4 pages per one page, and double-sided.

All briefs must be double-sided; deposition transcripts must be double-sided and in mini-script format (4 pages per 1 page).

Source text: The Court requests that all briefs be double-sided and any deposition transcripts submitted in mini-script, 4 pages per one page, and double-sided.

Exhibits attached to a memorandum with more than two exhibits must be tabbed.

Source text: If a memorandum has more than two (2) exhibits, then all exhibits must be tabbed.

Footnotes in motions or briefs must be limited to citations, single-spaced, minimum 10-point font; arguments in footnotes will be disregarded.

Source text: Footnotes: Counsel and litigants should rarely place citations in a footnote. In the event a motion or brief contains footnotes, they must be limited to citations only, single-spaced, and no smaller than 10 point font. The Court will disregard argument in footnotes.

Links in e-filed documents are for convenience only; external linked material is not part of the court record.

Source text: _Links and Attachments_. Electronic documents containing links to material either within the filed document or external to the filed document are for convenience purposes only. The external material behind the link is not considered part of the filing or the basic court record.

Orders should be submitted in Word format.

Source text: Parties should submit all orders in Word format.

Deposition transcripts should be submitted in mini-script format with 4 pages per sheet.

Source text: For any depositions, the Court requests the transcripts be submitted in mini-script (i.e. 4 pages per sheet).

Deposition transcripts submitted with courtesy copies should be in mini-script format, 4 pages per page, and double-sided.

Source text: requests that any depositions transcripts be submitted in mini-script, 4 pages per one page, and double-sided.

Agreed orders may be submitted in Word format via email to the Court Coordinator.

Source text: If the parties wish to provide an agreed order, in word format, to the Court via email that will be permitted.