15th Judicial Circuit Court, Lee County, Illinois Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

Filers must take all reasonable steps to ensure E-documents cannot be altered by the Vendor and print with the authoring program’s content and format.

Filers shall take all reasonable steps to ensure E-documents are unalterable by the Vendor and can be printed with the same content and format as if printed from the authoring program.

CRITICAL

If an SRL does not e-file an appearance, the SRL must sign it and have the signature acknowledged by an authorized person.

If the appearance is not e-filed, the SRL must sign the appearance, and the SRL’s signature must be acknowledged before a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths under Illinois law.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

All electronically filed documents must be PDFs.

All electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

CRITICAL

For a will or codicil written in another language, the petitioner must file a typewritten English copy with a qualified translator’s accuracy certification.

When seeking to probate a will and/or codicil that is written in a language other than English, the petitioner shall file a typewritten copy of the will and/or codicil in English with the petition and a certification by a qualified translator that the translation is true and correct.

CRITICAL

The specified warning in the hearing notice must be in bold type or underlined.

The notice shall include, in addition to the time, date, and place of hearing, the following words in bold type or underlined: “Your failure to appear at this hearing may result in the issuance of a warrant for your arrest.”

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

All electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

CRITICAL

For a handwritten will or codicil, the petitioner must file a typewritten copy with the petition.

When seeking to probate a handwritten will and/or codicil, the petitioner shall file a typewritten copy of the will and/or codicil with the petition and an affidavit of the petitioner or other person typing the will and/or codicil that the typewritten copy is true and correct to the best of his or her knowledge.

CRITICAL

The financial affidavit must use the standardized statewide form available on the Illinois Supreme Court website.

The financial affidavit form shall comply with the standardized, statewide form available at the Illinois Supreme Court website.

CRITICAL

Margins

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

Documents must use at least 12-point body text, letter-size pages, one-inch minimum margins, and a blank two-inch square at the top right of the first page of each pleading.

Documents shall be formatted as follows: (1) The size of the type in the body of the text must be no less than 12-point font. (2) The size of the pages must be 8 ½ by 11 inches. (3) The margins on each side of the page must be a minimum of 1 inch. (4) The top right 2-inch by 2-inch corner of the first page of each pleading must be left blank for the Clerk’s stamp.

CRITICAL

A document exceeding the Vendor-program file-size maximum must be split into multiple appropriately sized documents, each below that maximum.

The maximum file size allowable is as determined by a Vendor’s program. If a document exceeds the maximum size allowed, the Filer must divide the document into appropriately sized parts and file multiple documents, each under the maximum file size.

CRITICAL

A document exceeding the Vendor’s file-size limit must be divided into separately filed parts, each within the limit.

The maximum file size allowable is as determined by a Vendor’s program. If a document exceeds the maximum size allowed, the Filer must divide the document into appropriately sized parts and file multiple documents, each under the maximum file size.

CRITICAL

Margins

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

Documents must use at least 12-point body text, letter-size pages, margins of at least one inch, and leave the first page’s top-right 2-by-2-inch corner blank for the Clerk’s stamp.

Documents shall be formatted as follows: (1) The size of the type in the body of the text must be no less than 12- point font. (2) The size of the pages must be 8 ½ by 11 inches. (3) The margins on each side of the page must be a minimum of 1 inch. (4) The top right 2-inch by 2-inch corner of the first page of each pleading must be left blank for the Clerk’s stamp.

WARNING

The required arrest-warrant warning in covered hearing notices must be in bold type or underlined.

Notices of hearings to discover assets, petitions for adjudication of contempt, and any other hearing during which a warrant of arrest may issue for a party’s failure to appear after receipt of notice shall, in addition to the time, date, and place of hearing, include the following words in bold type or underlined: “Your failure to appear at this hearing may result in the issuance of a warrant for your arrest.”

WARNING

To the extent practicable, E-documents should follow the applicable Supreme Court and local rules for formatting paper pleadings.

All E-documents shall, to the extent practicable, be formatted in accordance with the applicable Supreme Court Rules and these Rules governing the formatting of paper pleadings.

WARNING

Filers must take reasonable steps to ensure e-documents cannot be altered by the Vendor and print as authored.

Filers shall take all reasonable steps to ensure E-documents are unalterable by the Vendor and can be printed with the same content and format as if printed from the authoring program.

WARNING

Exhibits must be marked for identification by the court reporter, clerk, or attorneys as directed by the Court.

Each of the exhibits shall be marked for identification by the court reporter, clerk, or attorneys, as the Court directs.

INFO

Counsel and SRLs should mark trial exhibits in advance with available exhibit stickers and the appropriate party designation.

Counsel and SRLs should mark exhibits in advance of trial with exhibit stickers when available. Exhibits should be marked as “Plaintiff’s,” “Petitioner’s,” “Defendant’s,” or “Respondent’s” as appropriate.