Circuit Court of Henry County, Illinois (14th Judicial Circuit) Pre-Motion Conference Requirements

CRITICAL

Motions under the listed rules and statutes must be noticed for the 9:00 a.m. walk-in call, after which the Court sets briefing and argument dates.

Every motion brought pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 219, Supreme Court Rule 137 or Sections 2-615, 2-619, 2-619.1 or 2-1005 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall be noticed for hearing for presentation of the motion to the Court at a 9:00 a.m. walk-in call, whereupon an order will be entered setting a briefing schedule and a hearing for arguments on the motion.

CRITICAL

The parties, their counsel, and any applicable guardian ad litem must attend a joint face-to-face settlement conference, in person unless good cause is shown for attendance by conference telephone; its time and place may be agreed or ordered by the Court.

1. The parties and their respective counsel, including any guardian ad litem where applicable, shall attend in person or, for good cause shown by conference telephone, a face-to-face settlement conference. The joint settlement conference may be held at such time place and time as agreed or ordered by the Court.

WARNING

The Court may hear emergency or legally ex parte motions without calling them for hearing, and emergency motions should receive precedence as far as possible.

Emergency motions and motions which by law may be made ex parte may, in the discretion of the Court, be heard without calling the motion for hearing. Emergency motions shall, so far as possible, be given precedence.

WARNING

At the settlement conference, participants must negotiate in good faith, identify and stipulate disputed issues, stipulate agreed matters, complete and sign the required pre-trial memorandum, and consider other matters that may aid or simplify the case, including updating a financial affidavit.

a. Conduct good faith settlement negotiations; b. Identify the disputed issues which the Court needs to resolve and prepare a stipulation as to the disputed issues; c. Prepare any stipulation with respect to agreed matters; d. Complete the appropriate pre-trial memorandum as required under subsection (1) of this Rule 9(d) and sign the same; e. Consider any other matters which may aid, expedite or simplify the pending matter including preparing an update amendment to any previously filed financial affidavit.