Circuit Court of Cook County Service and Proof of Service Rules

CRITICAL

Plaintiff’s counsel must deliver a written itemized damages and settlement demand to defendant’s counsel at least 10 days before the settlement conference.

At least ten (10) days prior to the settlement conference, plaintiff’s counsel shall submit a written itemization of damages and settlement demand to defendant’s counsel with a brief explanation of why such a settlement is appropriate.

CRITICAL

Defendant’s counsel must submit a written settlement offer to plaintiff’s counsel no later than 5 days before the settlement conference.

No later than five (5) days prior to the settlement conference, defendant’s counsel shall submit a written offer to plaintiff’s counsel with a brief explanation of why such a settlement is appropriate.

CRITICALCivil cases

Service

Email to all parties

All parties must be copied on the email to the Court when submitting a TRO motion, absent exceptional circumstances.

Except in extremely unusual and compelling circumstances, demonstrated clearly and convincingly by the movant, all parties must be cc’d.

CRITICAL

Service

Email to court

If no settlement is reached, plaintiff’s counsel must email the demand/offer letters to Calendar 4 at least 2 days before the conference; the letters must not be filed with the Clerk.

If settlement is not achieved, plaintiff’s counsel shall deliver electronic copies of these letters to the Calendar 4 email address [ccc.chancerycalendar4@cookcountyil.gov] no later than two (2) days before the conference. Do not file copies of these letters in the Clerk’s Office.

CRITICAL

Service

Email to opposing party

Each party must email objections to chambers and serve opposing counsel seven days after submitting trial materials.

Seven (7) days after the submission of the Trial Materials, each party must deliver via email to the chambers email of ccc.chancerycalendar3@cookcountyil.gov and serve on opposing counsel, any objections to the Trial Materials.

CRITICAL

The movant must notify all parties of the TRO hearing date and time, except for the stated ex parte circumstance involving specific facts showing immediate and irreparable harm before notice and hearing are possible.

The Court requires the Movant to notify all parties of the date and time of the TRO hearing, unless the TRO is brought ex parte and it clearly appears from specific facts shown by affidavit or by the verified complaint that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the applicant before notice can be served and a hearing had thereon. See 735 ILCS 5/11-101 (West 2014).

CRITICAL

All served parties must receive notice under Circuit Court Rule 2.1, whether or not they have appeared.

All parties who have been served shall be given notice as provided in Circuit Court Rule 2.1, without regard to whether an appearance has been filed.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Notice of motion

Notice of motion must be served on all parties who have filed appearances.

Motions shall be e-filed and notice of motion served on all parties who have filed appearances.

CRITICAL

Service

Electronic service to opposing party

Emergency notice and motion must be served on the opposing party the day before presentment.

Further, a notice of motion, listing the presentment time and date, and the motion itself must be sent to the opposing attorney/party the day before presentment by means reasonably calculated to reach the opposing side in time for him/her to attend the scheduled time, such as e-mail or hand-delivery.

CRITICALCivil cases

Notice of motion must be served on all parties who have filed appearances.

notice of motion served on all parties who have filed appearances

CRITICALCivil cases

Emergency motions require proper notice per local rules and Supreme Court Rules, with proof of notice delivered to the Court.

proper notice is given in compliance with local rules and Supreme Court Rules

CRITICAL

Motions must be served on all parties who have filed an appearance.

Motions must be served on all parties who have filed an appearance

CRITICAL

Once an emergency motion is scheduled, the movant must provide immediate notice to all parties served and not in default and all persons who may be affected, and must provide email addresses of noticed parties to the Court.

Once an emergency motion is scheduled, the movant must provide immediate notice to (i) all parties served and not in default and (ii) all persons who may be affected by the relief sought and not appearing in the case. Email addresses of parties receiving notice of the motion must be provided to the Court upon service to parties entitled to notice.

CRITICALCivil cases

Plaintiff must give immediate notice of the entry of the default order to defendants who have appeared and parties against whom default was entered.

It is further ordered that plaintiff will give notice instanter of the entry of this default order to defendant(s) who have appeared, as well as to the parties against whom default has been entered.

CRITICAL

Service

Mail to opposing party

Defendants must be served notice of the expedited court date via US Mail, including Zoom and Early Resolution Program information.

Defendants shall be given notice of the expedited court date with zoom information and Early Resolution Program information via US Mail.

CRITICAL

Proof of service and all notices must be filed via Odyssey before the court date.

Proof of service via affidavit of process server and all notices shall be filed with the Clerk of Court via Odyssey prior to the court date.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Motion

All served parties must receive notice of a motion for default even if they have not appeared.

All parties who have been served must be given notice of the motion for default, even if they have not filed an appearance.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Complaint

Service

Email to opposing party

The moving in an emergency must email file-stamped courtesy copies of the complaint, motion, and notice of motion to all opposing parties.

The movant must provide notice of the scheduled hearing on the emergency motion by emailing all opposing parties file-stamped courtesy copies of the complaint, motion, and notice of motion.

CRITICALCivil cases

Service

Email to all parties

Except in extremely unusual and compelling circumstances, demonstrated clearly and convincingly by the movant, all parties must be cc’d.

Except in extremely unusual and compelling circumstances, demonstrated clearly and convincingly by the movant, all parties must be cc’d.

CRITICALCivil cases

Motions and notices of motion must be served on every party who has filed an appearance.

Motions and Notice of Motion shall be e-filed and served on all parties who have filed appearances.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of motion

The Movant must send notice of all scheduled matters to all parties of record and attach the pleadings to the Notice of Motion; failure to do so prevents the Court from hearing the case.

The party requesting relief from the Court (the Movant) is required to send Notice of all matters scheduled to be heard by the Court to all parties of record. The Notice of Motion must be accompanied by a copy of the pleadings the Movant seeks to present to the Court. Failure to provide the required Notices will prevent the Court from hearing the case.

CRITICAL

All deficiency documents, including BPO/appraisal, must be filed with the Clerk and served on all parties before the motion is presented.

Copies of all documents listed above, including the BPO or appraisal, must be filed with the Clerk of the Court and provided to all parties prior to presentation of the motion to approve the judicial sale.

CRITICAL

Deadline

7 calendar days

Applies to

Pre trial submission

Pre-trial submissions must be exchanged at least 7 calendar days before submission to the Court.

Each party will prepare and exchange its own pre-trial submission with the other party(ies) no later than seven (7) calendar days prior to the submission to the Court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Service

Mail

Plaintiff must mail notice of the order to all defendants within three days and maintain evidence of the mailing for review by the Court.

Within three (3) days of entry of this order, Plaintiff must send notice of this order by U.S. Mail and any other method reasonably calculated to reach defendants to all defendants at: 1) the subject property address; 2) the address where any defendant was served with process; and 3) any other address where plaintiff reasonably believes defendant may receive notice. Plaintiff must maintain evidence of such mailing and other forms of notification for review by the Court upon request.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Motions and notices of motion must be served on all parties who have filed appearances.

Motions and notices of motion shall be e-filed and served on all parties who have filed appearances.

CRITICALCivil cases

Deadline

24 hours

Except in extraordinary circumstances, the court will not schedule an emergency motion with less than 24 hours notice.

Except in extraordinary circumstances, the court will not schedule an emergency motion with less than 24 hours notice.

CRITICALCivil cases

Notice to all parties must comply with the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, Circuit Court Rules, and the Probate Act.

Notice to all parties must be given in accordance with the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, Circuit Court Rules and the Probate Act.

CRITICALCivil cases

Service

Mail to opposing party

The movant must provide or attempt to provide all opposing parties notice of the default motion; notice to the party to be defaulted may be by regular and certified mail to the last known address.

The movant must provide, or attempt to provide all opposing parties with notice of a motion for default and default judgment. With respect to the party to be defaulted, notice may be accomplished by mailing the notice of motion and the motion to the respondent's last known address by both regular and certified mail.

CRITICAL

Proper notice to all appearing counsel and pro se parties is required when noticing a motion.

Proper notice to counsel for each party who has appeared and to any pro se parties is required.

CRITICAL

Piggy-backed motions require proper notice to all appearing counsel and pro se parties.

With proper notice to counsel for all parties who have appeared and to any pro se parties, motions may be brought before the court, or “piggy-backed,” at any regularly set Case Management Conference, Motion Hearing, or Pre-Trial Conference.

CRITICAL

Deadline

48 hours

Applies to

Agreed order

Service

Electronic service

Approved agreed orders must be sent electronically to counsel and self-represented litigants within 48 hours by the Clerk.

ALL Agreed Orders approved by the Court shall be sent by electronic means to counsel of record and self-represented litigants within forty-eight hours by the Clerk of the Circuit Clerk;

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

The moving party must present proof of service on the opposing party for all motions, with acceptable forms listed.

On all motions, the moving party must present proof that they have served the motion on the opposing party. Such proof may include proof of service by Regular Mail (USPS Certificate of Mailing), Certified Mail with a printout of the USPS Tracking Receipt showing proof of delivery, special process server receipt, affidavit of service, attorneys Certificate of Service, etc., or otherwise provide proof of notice as set forth in Circuit Court Rule 2.1, or in compliance with section 5/1-109 of the Illinois Rules of Civil Procedure.

CRITICAL

All pleadings and motions must be served in compliance with the Illinois Supreme Court Rules.

All pleadings and motions shall be served in compliance with the Illinois Supreme Court Rules.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of motion

Service

Mail

Notice of motions must be delivered via regular USPS mail or email if feasible and appropriate.

Notice of Motions must be accomplished by delivery through regular USPS mail and or email if feasible and appropriate. See Illinois Supreme Court Rule 1 1: Cook County Circuit Court Rule 2. I (c) (i).

CRITICAL

Service

Publication

Before service by publication, attorneys/self-represented petitioners must provide an affidavit of due diligence or testify regarding reasonable efforts to provide an address for service.

Before a case can go to Service by Publication, attorneys/self-represented petitioners must provide an affidavit of due diligence or petitioner must be present to testify regarding any reasonable efforts made in an attempt to provide an address for service of pleadings on the respondent.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Agreed order

Service

Electronic service

After approval, the Clerk sends the agreed order to all counsel and self-represented litigants, but entry requires all to be email recipients.

After review and approval by the Court, the Clerk of the Court shall send a copy of the Agreed Order to all counsel of record and self-represented litigants, however, no Agreed Order shall be entered by the Court unless all counsel of record and self-represented litigants are included as recipients of the email containing the proposed order;

CRITICAL

The movant must serve the signed scheduling order and provide notice to all parties of record before 5:00 PM on the filing day via fax, email, or hand-delivery.

Serve a copy of the entered scheduling order and provide notice to all parties of record as required by law before 5:00 PM on the day the motion is filed via fax, email, or hand-delivery;

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of motion

If the service address has changed, the plaintiff must serve the notice of motion at the mortgagor's current address before entry of an order.

If the address whereupon service was effectuated has changed, the plaintiff shall serve the notice of motion at the mortgagor(s) current address before entry of an order on the subject motion.

CRITICAL

30 days' notice of hearing must be provided to all parties before entry of consent judgment; insufficient notice results in continuance.

Orders of consent judgment of foreclosure will not be entered unless 30 days’ notice of the hearing date has been provided to ALL parties, including all unknown parties, in order to give time to object to the order’s entry. Such motions noticed for a hearing date prior to 30 days from the date of service of the motion for entry of a consent judgment of foreclosure upon all parties will be continued to provide for such notice.

CRITICAL

All required documents must be filed with the Clerk and provided to all parties before presenting the motion to approve the judicial sale.

Copies of all documents listed above, including the BPO or appraisal, shall be filed with the Clerk of the Court and provided to **all** parties prior to presentation of the motion to approve the judicial sale.

CRITICAL

Deadline

5 business days

Applies to

Notice of motion

Notices of motion must be served on all parties at least 5 business days before the hearing; late service results in striking the motion.

(l) Pursuant to local rule 2.1(c)(1), all notices of motion shall be served upon all parties of record no fewer than 5 business days prior to the scheduled hearing. Notices of motions served fewer than 5 business days prior to the scheduled hearing will result in the Court treating the motion as not properly noticed. The Court will strike the motion off the call requiring the motion to be re-noticed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Court documents

Service

Email

A self-represented litigant with an email address must designate a single email address for service and include it on all court documents and correspondence.

Pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 11(b), a self-represented litigant who has an email address shall designate a single email address to which service may be directed and include that email address on all court documents and correspondences.

CRITICALCivil cases

Service

Mail to all parties

Plaintiff must serve notice of the order on all defendants by U.S. Mail and other reasonable methods within 3 days and maintain evidence of service.

Within three (3) days of entry of this order, Plaintiff must send notice of this order by U.S. Mail and any other method reasonably calculated to reach defendants to all defendants at: 1) the subject property address; 2) the address where any defendant was served with process; and 3) any other address where plaintiff reasonably believes defendant may receive notice. Plaintiff must maintain evidence of such mailing and other forms of notification for review by the Court upon request.

CRITICAL

Proper notice must be sent to all parties of record for transfer requests.

Proper notice shall be sent to all parties of record and courtesy copies shall be provided to the Court by the movant.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to approve judicial sale

All documents required for a motion to approve a judicial sale must be filed with the Clerk and provided to all parties before the motion is presented.

Copies of all documents listed above, including the BPO or appraisal, must be filed with the Clerk of the Court and provided to all parties prior to presentation of the motion to approve the judicial sale.

CRITICAL

Service

Email

Self-represented litigants with an email address must designate a single email address for service.

Pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 11(b), a self-represented litigant who has an email address must designate a single email address to which service may be directed and include that email address on all court documents and correspondence.

CRITICAL

Proper notice of hearing must be sent to all parties of record and courtesy copies should be provided to the court.

Proper notice of hearing must be sent to all parties of record and courtesy copies should be provided to the court.