22nd Judicial Circuit Court, McHenry County Filing Rules

A proposed surety must provide a schedule of property and net worth executed under oath, unless the court excuses filing under the stated consent or good-cause exceptions.

A party referred to mediation must file an appearance and may also be required to file a response, typically an answer, to the pending complaint within 14 days.

The party scheduling a motion or petition is responsible for preparing its order, and plaintiff or plaintiff’s counsel is responsible for status, case-management, and other orders.

A courtesy copy should include a cover letter identifying the parties, case number, and hearing date and time, and should reach the court at least seven days before the hearing unless otherwise ordered.

A proposed order involving a self-represented party must include that party's endorsement.

Within seven days, the personal representative or attorney must mail copies of the petition, bond, and schedules to each heir, legatee, or nearest relative whose approval is not already on file, and must file proof of mailing with the clerk.

The court email for a proposed order must simultaneously include all other parties through their attorneys, or directly to a self-represented party.

Self-represented parties and counsel must make a reasonable effort to notify the opposing party of an emergency matter’s presentation and hearing and must file the emergency motion with the Circuit Court Clerk.

The alleged disabled respondent must be served with a summons at least 14 days before the guardianship hearing.

Copies of courtesy-copy cover letters must be provided to all other parties of record and non-default served parties at about the same time the court receives its copy.

A self-represented litigant’s nonconforming filing must undergo court review before it may be rejected, under a court-established review practice.

When possible, pleadings and other matters should be filed at least seven days before presentation in open court.

Self-represented parties and counsel of record shall make a reasonable effort to notify the opposing party of the presentation and hearing of the emergency matter and file the emergency motion with the Clerk of the Circuit Court.

Pleadings and other matters intended for presentation in open court should be filed at least seven days before the presentation.

Draft orders should be submitted in open court contemporaneously or, if the court permits, by email to the stated address typically within 24 hours.

A law enforcement agency may transmit multiple electronically filed citations to the Circuit Clerk in one transaction.

A party may participate remotely in a bench trial, but proposed exhibits for remote participants must be filed at least one (1) week prior with the specified cover page or uploaded through the evidence portal.

Electronic filing is mandatory in every civil matter.

The designated proposed-orders email is only for proposed orders and should not be used for pleadings, motions, affidavits, or exhibits.

For all small claims cases, a proposed order should be submitted electronically to the proposed order system at least 48 hours before the scheduled date, excluding weekends and court holidays.

Electronically filed pleadings must, to the extent practicable, follow the applicable document-formatting rules.

Each proposed order must be submitted as a single file rather than combined with other proposed orders in one attachment.

Proposed orders generally must be submitted in Word format and remain modifiable by the court, except for agreed orders.

All parties must submit courtesy copies of briefs and other materials necessary for decision within the five days before the hearing.

Courtesy copies of briefs or motions are required only for matters set for hearing.

Courtesy copies are required only for briefs or motions in contested matters that have been set for hearing.

The parties must provide chambers courtesy copies of their pretrial memoranda at least seven days before the pretrial conference.

Each courtesy copy should include a cover letter identifying the parties, case number, and hearing date.

The Clerk may be contacted by telephone regarding settings and availability.

Questions about settings and availability may be directed to the McHenry County Circuit Clerk's Office.

A remotely appearing counsel or self-represented party must notify Court Administration at 815-334-4385 of an emergency matter by 8:30 a.m., or as circumstances permit.

Questions about scheduling or submissions to the Court may be directed by telephone to the Civil Case Manager at (815) 334-4385.

Questions about scheduling or submissions to the court may be directed by telephone to the Civil Case Manager at 815/334-4385.

All E-filing subscribers must maintain a valid credit card with the vendor to pay statutory filing fees.

A motion to seal must be written, presented to the assigned judge with notice to all parties, explain the sealing basis, and specify the sealing duration; the motion itself may be sealed upon specific request if it discusses confidential material.

A continuance may be granted only through a court order.

Continuances are generally disfavored and are considered only for good cause after best efforts.

A motion, response, brief, or supporting memorandum may not exceed 15 typewritten, double-spaced pages without prior court approval.

At the request of either party in a felony case set for jury trial, the court will set an in-court pretrial conference status date requiring the parties to appear.

Briefs and legal memoranda delivered to the clerk may not include additional motions or legal pleadings.

Each listed Mortgage Foreclosure pleading, motion, affidavit, service paper, summons, publication paper, and sale notice must be filed as a separate electronic document.