14th Judicial Circuit Court, Mercer County, Illinois Filing Rules

When a motion is heard without prior notice, the attorney obtaining the order must serve a written notice containing the specified case, judge, hearing, and order information on parties not in default and file proof of service within two days after the hearing.

If the Clerk’s Office is open, a complaint or petition seeking the specified ex parte relief must be filed there before applying to a judge for the order.

For a motion heard without prior notice, the attorney obtaining the order must serve the required written notice on parties not in default in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 11.

All submitted documents must be double-spaced, have margins of at least one inch on every side, and use type no smaller than twelve characters per inch; noncompliance may lead the Court to refuse consideration.

A judge’s substitution does not automatically provide cause for a continuance.

Telephone calls to a judge concerning a case are governed by Supreme Court Rule 63A.

In an effort to limit identity theft, the following information should not be contained in pleadings open to the general public and filed with the Circuit Clerk: - a. Date of Birth - b. Social Security Number (it is acceptable to identify the last four digits in the public portion of the record) - c. Driver's License Number - d. Children's Date of Birth (acceptable to identify the age of the child at the time of the pleading) - e. Children's Social Security Number

For every contested motion, parties must deliver the listed paper copies to the assigned judge at least ten days before the hearing.

If a discovery supervision date is missed, opposing trial counsel must immediately confer under Rule 201(k) before moving for an order compelling compliance.

Written motions and responses must be filed with their supporting briefs and affidavits.

Motions and writings supporting or opposing motions are limited to ten pages, excluding supporting documents, unless the Court grants prior leave.

Until mandatory paper filings are eliminated, an item served by email must still be filed with the Circuit Clerk as an original paper copy with original signatures unless it was e-filed under permissive e-filing.