Circuit Court of Cook County Document Format Requirements

WARNINGCivil cases

Citations to authority must comply with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 6 and the Bluebook, using official reporters. Parallel citations are unnecessary. Parties must include pin cites when applicable. As court personnel only have access to LEXIS, parties should provide copies of any cases cited in their memoranda that are not available from the official reporters or LEXIS.

Citations to authority must comply with Illinois Supreme Court Rule 6 and the Bluebook, using official reporters. Parallel citations are unnecessary. Parties must include pin cites when applicable. As court personnel only have access to LEXIS, parties should provide copies of any cases cited in their memoranda that are not available from the official reporters or LEXIS.

WARNINGCivil cases

Evidence deposition transcripts must have the pages where objections appear clipped or tabbed when provided to the Court for objection rulings.

When ruling on objections in evidence depositions, the Court is to be given a transcript of the deposition with the pages where the objection appears clipped or tabbed.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

PDF

Pleadings and briefs must have clearly labeled, tabbed exhibits/attachments; proposed orders go in a separate PDF; if tabbing is not possible, each document must be properly labeled.

All submissions of pleadings and briefs shall have Exhibits/attachments that are clearly labeled with identifying names and which are tabbed. Proposed orders should be submitted in a separate PDF file attached to the same email. If it is not possible for the movant to submit a tabbed PDF document with all supporting documents, then each document must be properly labeled to identify its content

WARNINGCivil cases

All documents presented must be independently stapled and in chronological order.

Please ensure all the documents presented are independently stapled and in chronological order.

WARNING

Exhibits should be tabbed and page-numbered whenever possible.

All Exhibits should be tabbed (located easily) and page-numbered, whenever possible.

WARNING

Margins

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

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

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

WARNING

The receiver bond must have a raised seal, the receiver's signature, and a signature block for Judge Seaton.

The bond **shall** have a raised seal, the receiver's signature, and a signature block for Judge Seaton to sign.

WARNING

Proposed orders must not have a stand-alone signature page; some text of the order must appear on the same page as Judge Robles's signature block.

Judge Robles will not sign any orders that have a stand-alone signature page. Some of the text of the order must be on the same page that has the signature block for Judge Robles.

WARNING

Parties must not pre-check boxes on the 1–2-page case management order forms.

1–2 page case management orders shall be used whenever possible. DO NOT “pre-check” any boxes in these orders as the Court’s ruling may differ from the “pre-checked” box.

WARNING

Off-call orders should not include a pre-filled date by the signature block as the Court may not enter the order on the date of the hearing depending on the time/date of its receipt.

Off-call orders should not include a pre-filled date by the signature block as the Court may not enter the order on the date of the hearing depending on the time/date of its receipt.

WARNING

Margins must be 1 or 1.25 inches on all sides, using 8.5-by-11-inch paper.

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

WARNING

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

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

WARNING

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.

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.

WARNINGCivil cases

e. Proposed orders should be sent in Word format only.

e. Proposed orders should be sent in Word format only.

WARNING

Deposition transcripts cited in briefing must be provided in full with text in at least 11-point font.

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

WARNING

Format

DOCX

Emailed proposed orders must be provided in Word document format.

Parties shall hand deliver a proposed order to the clerk in courtroom 2405 or email a proposed order in Word document format to ccc.chancerycalendar7@cookcountyil.gov by NOON.

WARNING

Memoranda with more than two exhibits must have all exhibits tabbed.

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

WARNING

Margins

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

Preferred format for briefs is double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman with standard 1-inch margins, excluding exhibits.

Preferred format for all briefs, excluding exhibits, is double spaced, 12-point font (Times New Roman) with standard 1-inch margins.

WARNINGCivil cases

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

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.

WARNINGCivil cases

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

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

WARNING

All exhibits must be page-numbered and tabbed.

All exhibits must be page-numbered and tabbed.

WARNING

Format

PDF

Courtesy Copies should be submitted in the Portable Document Format (PDF), and be CLEARLY LABELED.

Courtesy Copies should be submitted in the Portable Document Format (PDF), and be CLEARLY LABELED.

WARNINGCivil cases

Trial exhibits attached to motions, responses, or replies must be individually tabbed and accompanied by an index.

ALL Trial Exhibits attached to any Motion, Response, and Reply need to be individually tabbed. An index of the exhibits is also required.

WARNING

Electronic file names must include the filing date (YYYY-MM-DD) and a description of the document.

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.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

Proposed agreed orders must be submitted in Microsoft Word format.

Proposed agreed orders may be submitted electronically. Proposed agreed orders are not to be filed. Rather, they are to be submitted to the judge to consider, to modify, if appropriate, and to enter. For example, proposed agreed orders such as stipulated protective orders require court approval before actually being given full effect. Proposed agreed orders must be attached to an e-mail sent to following e-mail address: law.calncc@cookcountyil.gov. The subject line of the e-mail must include the case number and name, and the title of the order that is proposed. All such documents must be submitted in Microsoft Word format. All other parties to the case must be copied on the email. Please advise the court’s case coordinator by phone (312-603-4804) after submitting a proposed agreed order.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

Original brief must be submitted in Word format (.docx or .doc).

The Original brief only must be submitted to the court in Word file format (.docx or .doc).

WARNINGCivil cases

Margins

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

Font size 12 pt body, 10 pt footnotes; margins 1 inch all around.

The font size in the body of the text shall be 12 points and in footnotes no less than 10 points. All margins shall each be a minimum of 1 inch.

WARNING

Format

PDF

Courtesy copies must be PDFs; oversized attachments may be sent via ZIP, Dropbox, Google Drive, or multiple labeled emails.

Courtesy copies shall be submitted in .pdf format. If attachments are too large to be attached in one email, parties are encouraged to send the courtesy copies in a Zipped file, a Dropbox Link, or a Google Drive link. If none of the options are feasible, multiple emails are acceptable if labeled properly (as “part 1,” “part 2,” etc.).

WARNING

Format

PDF

Proposed orders must be in a separate PDF labeled 'proposed Order(s)' and multiple orders should be in one PDF attachment.

Proposed orders must be submitted in a separate .pdf file labeled “proposed Order(s).” Multiple orders should be submitted in one .pdf attachment.

WARNING

Format

PDF

All courtesy-copy documents must be emailed in one tabbed PDF, with each tab clearly labeled.

All pleadings, along with exhibits and supporting documents shall be emailed in one tabbed .pdf file labeling each tab clearly (Motion, Complaint, Notice of Motion, etc.).

WARNINGCivil cases

Attachments to pleadings and briefs must be clearly labeled and tabbed as exhibits.

All submissions of pleadings and briefs shall have attachments that are clearly labeled with identifying names and are tabbed as exhibits.

WARNING

Zoom participants must sign in with name and case number; accessing Zoom from a vehicle is prohibited.

All participants shall sign into the Zoom with their name and case number. Participants may not access Zoom from a vehicle, whether they are driving or not and whether the vehicle is moving or not.

WARNING

Motions and memorandums must be tabbed and bookmarked; exhibits must also be tabbed and bookmarked.

Motions and memorandums shall be tabbed and bookmarked so that the court can easily navigate through the sections of the document. If exhibits are being submitted as a separate document, they too must be tabbed and bookmarked.

WARNING

Hard copies must be stapled or bound on the left; exhibits over 80 pages bound separately; thumb drive accepted for oversized submissions.

If a hard copy is requested, the papers must be securely fastened by a staple or binding on the left side. Binder clips are not acceptable. Exhibits exceeding 80 pages in length should be bound separately from the brief or motion. The court will accept a thumb drive for oversized submissions.

WARNING

Caption and signature block must not be on standalone pages; they count toward page limits.

Placing the caption or the signature block on a standalone page is not permitted and will be counted as a page.

WARNING

Format

DOCX

Email subject line must include case number, name, and order title; orders must be in Word format; all parties must be copied.

The subject line of the email must include the case number and name, and the title of the order that is proposed. All orders must be submitted in Word format. All counsel of record and self- represented litigants must be copied on the email.

WARNINGCivil cases

Margins

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

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

All briefs shall be double-spaced with 12-point font and 1 inch margins.

WARNING

Exhibits must be tabbed or separated by colored paper bearing an identifier.

Exhibits are to be tabbed or separated by colored paper with an identifier.

WARNING

All legal citations must comply with the latest Bluebook edition, and citations to unreported decisions (except the Illinois Appellate Court) must use LEXIS system-generated format exclusively.

All legal citations must comply with the latest edition of "The Bluebook." Citations to unreported court decisions, excluding the Illinois Appellate Court, must be to LEXIS system-generated format exclusively.

WARNINGCivil cases

All motions and briefs must include page numbers.

All motions and briefs must be paginated.

WARNINGCivil cases

Electronic copies of related documents must be provided as separate files.

All electronic copies must be separate.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

PDF

Exhibits/attachments exceeding 300 pages must be provided in PDF on a USB flash drive instead of paper.

If the exhibits or attachments to any motion or brief exceed 300 pages, said exhibits and attachments must be separately provided in pdf form on a USB flash/portable drive instead of by paper copies.

WARNINGCivil cases

Trial materials must be in a three-ring binder, tabbed; permanently bound materials prohibited.

Each party must provide the hard copy trial materials in a three-ring trial binder. All documents in the binder must be tabbed. Permanently bound materials are not permitted.

WARNINGCivil cases

Required hard copies containing multiple documents must be tabbed.

If hard copies are required and they include more than one document, the documents must be tabbed.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits must be numbered, not lettered.

All exhibits must be numbered and cannot be designated by letters of the alphabet.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibit list must have columns for identification, offer, objection, objection ruling, and admission/refusal.

Each exhibit list must set forth for each exhibit, to the right of the number and description, separate columns for the exhibit's identification, offer, objection, objection ruling, and admission/refusal.

WARNINGCivil cases

Attachments exceeding 300 pages must be delivered on an unprotected USB flash or portable drive, not on paper.

Any attachments which exceed 300 pages must be delivered on a USB flash/portable drive (not password protected) and not on paper.

WARNINGCivil cases

Each document in a routine motion filing must be sent as a separate electronic file.

When sent, the routine motion and each document filed with it must be sent as a separate electronic document to the Court.

WARNINGCivil cases

Hard copies with over 5 exhibits or exceeding 30 pages must have each exhibit/document separately tabbed; opposing counsel must cooperate.

Regarding the hard copy of any document which contains over five (5) exhibits or attachments, or if the same exceeds 30 pages, each exhibit or document must be separately tabbed. Opposing counsel must cooperate in providing tabbed copies.

WARNINGCivil cases

All motions and briefs must include page numbers.

All motions and briefs must be paginated.