Circuit Court of Gallatin County, Illinois (2nd Judicial Circuit) Filing Rules

An affidavit of heirship shall include the following and shall be in substantially the form which is required by Administrative Order No. 2002-2 of the Chief Judge: (1) The date and place of death of the decedent; (2) Whether the decedent left a surviving spouse. The affidavit should also address prior marriages ending in death or divorce and the children born to or adopted by the decedent from each marriage; (3) The names of all children, if any, born or adopted by the decedent. The affidavit shall specifically state that there are no other children, born or adopted. (4) The date of death and the descendants, born or adopted, if any, of any deceased child. The affidavit shall specifically state that there are no other descendants, born or adopted. (5) If there is no spouse or descendants, born or adopted, the parents, brothers and sisters and the descendants of any deceased brother or sister, born or adopted. The affidavit shall specifically state that there are no other brothers, sisters or the descendants of any deceased brother or sister, born or adopted. (6) The manner in which the affiant is related to the decedent. If the affiant is not related to the decedent, the affidavit shall adequately establish the basis of the affiant's knowledge of the decedent's heirship. (7) An assertion of any unknown heirs or addresses which shall specifically state what diligent efforts have been made to ascertain the same. (8) The concluding section shall trace the per stirpes relationship of each heir to the decedent; for example, "A, grandson of decedent, being a son of B, predeceased daughter of decedent," or, "A, nephew of decedent, being a son of B, predeceased sister of the decedent."

The mediator must transmit the prepared agreement to the parties and every attorney of record.

A summary-judgment motion may not be heard earlier than ten days after service of its notice of motion.

Local counsel who files the required written appearance does not owe an appearance fee.

The Clerk may not file documents received by fax unless a Supreme Court Rule authorizes it.

Pleadings and other papers in civil and criminal cases must be neatly typed or printed with at least double spacing in the main body, subject to the listed exclusions.

In small claims cases, additional continuances require good cause.

The court may hear emergency or legally ex parte motions without calling them for hearing, and should prioritize emergency motions whenever possible.

Participants may contact the relevant county Circuit Clerk’s Office for remote-appearance information, including login credentials and phone dial-in information.

The clerk must file and seal the original pre-mediation questionnaires and later send copies to the appointed mediator.