14th Judicial Circuit Court, Mercer County, Illinois Document Format Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

Required filings not included in the published forms must be prepared in the above form.

Required filings which are not included in the published forms shall be prepared in the above form.

CRITICAL

All citations must conform to Supreme Court Rule 6.

All citations shall be in conformity with Supreme Court Rule 6.

CRITICAL

The complaint and all summonses must display “THIS IS AN ARBITRATION CASE” in uppercase letters in the upper-right corner.

The complaint and all summonses shall state in upper case letters on the upper right-hand corner "THIS IS AN ARBITRATION CASE."

CRITICAL

Margins

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

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; noncompliant documents may not be considered.

All documents submitted shall be double spaced and shall contain margins of at least one (1) inch at the top, bottom and each side. Type shall be no less than twelve (12) characters per inch. Failure to comply with this rule shall be sufficient grounds for the Court's refusal to consider the offending document.

CRITICAL

A person may electronically sign a court-filed record if the signature is unique to them, under their control or direction, and—if another person uses it—authorized by the person to whom it belongs.

2. Use of Electronic Signatures. A person may use an Electronic Signature to sign a record filed with the court, provided that the Electronic Signature is: - (a) Unique to the person making the signature; - (b) Under the control or direction of the person making the signature; and - (c) Authorized by the person to whom the Electronic Signature belongs, if used by another individual.

CRITICAL

The required 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 where 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."

CRITICAL

The typed Exhibit List must be numbered and include right-hand columns for the Court and parties to record each exhibit’s trial status.

In addition, the attorneys for the parties or any party not represented by an attorney is required to submit at the pre-trial conference a typed "Exhibit List" which shall identify all exhibits intended to be offered by each party, itemizing such exhibits numerically by their identifying number. The exhibit list shall provide columns on the right-hand side for notation by the Court and parties during trial as to whether each exhibit is "Identified," "Admitted," "Refused," or "Reserved."

CRITICALCivil cases

Required multi-page documents must use the backs of the papers so they can be read in the file without removing or turning it, and must use two-post binding at the top.

Where multi-page documents are required, the backs of the papers shall be utilized in such manner that same may be read without removing same from the file or turning the file 180 degrees. Two post Binding at the top of the paper shall be used.

CRITICAL

The witness list must be typewritten.

The parties shall provide the Court and opposing counsel with a typewritten list identifying all witnesses who a party intends to testify during the trial.

CRITICAL

For required multi-page documents, use the backs so the pages can be read without removing them from or turning the file, and use two-post binding at the top.

(b) Where multi-page documents are required, the backs of the papers shall be utilized in such manner that same may be read without removing same from the file or turning the file 180 degrees. Two post Binding at the top of the paper shall be used.

CRITICAL

Required filings not included in the published forms must be prepared in the form specified by the rule.

(c) Required filings which are not included in the published forms shall be prepared in the above form.

CRITICAL

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 where 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."

CRITICAL

Attorneys and unrepresented litigants must file and serve the required pre-trial documents in the Court-required form, and the documents must be typewritten.

the attorneys for each of the parties and each litigant not represented by an attorney shall file and serve such pre-trial typewritten documents required by the trial judge in the form required by the Court

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Exhibit

An exhibit attached to an addendum must be prepared on 8½-by-11-inch paper.

Where addenda are required to furnish information which will not fit in the space provided on the form, recite same in the applicable space and refer to a clearly marked exhibit prepared on 8 ½" by 11" paper.

CRITICAL

The index accompanying evidence depositions must be typed.

Unless otherwise ordered, all evidence depositions shall be presented to the trial judge no later than ten (10) days prior to the pre-trial conference together with a typed index showing page and line of any unresolved objections.

CRITICAL

The statement of the case in a jury trial must be typed.

In jury trials, each party shall provide a typed statement of the case to be read by the Court to the jury.

CRITICAL

A person may use an electronic signature on a court-filed record only if it is unique to the signer, under the signer’s control or direction, and authorized by the person to whom it belongs if someone else uses it.

2. Use of Electronic Signatures. A person may use an Electronic Signature to sign a record filed with the court, provided that the Electronic Signature is: (a) Unique to the person making the signature; (b) Under the control or direction of the person making the signature; and (c) Authorized by the person to whom the Electronic Signature belongs, if used by another individual.

CRITICALCivil cases

Typewritten or printed papers must have at least 1½ inches of blank space at the binding end.

Typewritten or printed papers shall have a 1 ½" minimum blank space at the binding end of the paper.

CRITICAL

Orders entered at case management conferences must use forms promulgated by the presiding judge.

At the initial case management conference and at all subsequent case management conferences, an order shall be entered utilizing forms promulgated by the presiding judge.

CRITICALCivil cases

Orders entered at initial and subsequent case management conferences must use forms promulgated by the presiding judge.

At the initial case management conference and at all subsequent case management conferences, an order shall be entered utilizing forms promulgated by the presiding judge.

CRITICAL

The required case designation must appear in uppercase letters in the upper-right corner of the complaint and summonses.

The complaint and all summonses shall state in upper case letters on the upper right- hand corner "THIS IS ANARBITRATION CASE."

CRITICAL

The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit must use the probate forms numbered p-1A through p-145, as amended.

(a) Probate forms now on file and numbered p-1A through p-145, as amended from time to time, shall be used in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.

CRITICAL

Each exhibit must be pre-marked for identification by the attorneys or parties.

Each exhibit shall be pre-marked for identification by the attorneys or parties

CRITICAL

Margins

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

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.

All documents submitted shall be double spaced and shall contain margins of at least one (1) inch at the top, bottom and each side. Type shall be no less than twelve (12) characters per inch. Failure to comply with this rule shall be sufficient grounds for the Court's refusal to consider the offending document.

CRITICALCivil cases

Probate forms numbered p-lA through p-145, as amended, must be used in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.

Probate forms now on file and numbered p-lA through p-145, as amended from time to time, shall be used in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.

WARNING

Typewritten or printed papers must leave at least 1½ inches of blank space at the binding end.

(h) Typewritten or printed papers shall have a 1 1/2" minimum blank space at the binding end of the paper.

WARNING

Witness lists must be typewritten.

The parties shall provide the Court and opposing counsel with a typewritten list identifying all witnesses who a party intends to testify during the trial.

WARNINGCivil cases

Wills and related documents prepared after January 1, 1982, should be on 8½-by-11-inch paper.

wills, etc., prepared after January 1, 1982, should be on 8 ½" by 11" paper.

WARNING

A filing that does not comply with the rule or use an approved form may be filed only with leave of court.

(d) Filings not according to rule or not on approved forms may be filed only by leave of Court.

WARNING

Attorneys and parties may not delete content from the official financial affidavit form they use.

Attorneys or parties may not alter the document by deleting content from the official financial affidavit form used.

WARNING

An exhibit used for required addendum information must be prepared on 8½-by-11-inch paper.

(f) Where addenda are required to furnish information which will not fit in the space provided on the form, recite same in the applicable space and refer to a clearly marked exhibit prepared on 8 1/2" by 11" paper.

WARNING

Form 9(b) may not be used after August 1, 2017.

After August 1, 2017 the Form 9(b) financial affidavit shall not be utilized.

WARNING

Required pre-trial documents must be typewritten.

In actions in which a pre-trial conference is ordered, the attorneys for each of the parties and each litigant not represented by an attorney shall file and serve such pre-trial typewritten documents required by the trial judge in the form required by the Court at least four court days prior to the conference.

WARNINGCivil cases

A filing that does not comply with the rules or use an approved form may be filed only with leave of Court.

Filings not according to rule or not on approved forms may be filed only by leave of Court.

WARNING

Inapplicable alternatives printed on forms must be deleted before filing.

(i) Inapplicable alternatives printed on the forms shall be deleted prior to filing.

WARNING

The index accompanying evidence depositions must be typed and identify the page and line of each unresolved objection.

Unless otherwise ordered, all evidence depositions shall be presented to the trial judge no later than ten (10) days prior to the pre-trial conference together with a typed index showing page and line of any unresolved objections.

WARNING

Previously executed wills and trusts on long paper may be filed; wills and similar documents prepared after January 1, 1982, should be on 8½-by-11-inch paper.

(e) Wills and trusts heretofore executed on long paper may be filed, but wills, etc., prepared after January 1, 1982, should be on 8 1/2" by 11" paper.

WARNING

All citations must conform to Supreme Court Rule 6.

All citations shall be in conformity with Supreme Court Rule 6.

INFOCivil cases

Wills and trusts previously executed on long paper may be filed.

Wills and trusts heretofore executed on long paper may be filed,

INFO

The court provides a recommended example for how the discovery deposition index may identify opinions by page and line.

The index contemplated by this rule would be similar to this: 1. Causation, looping p. 15, line 10 2. Causation, age p. 25, line 1 3. Deviation from the standard of care, p. 30, line 5