7th Judicial Circuit Court, Scott County, Illinois Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

Equipment used in courtrooms during proceedings must be unobtrusive and must not produce distracting sound.

Equipment to be used in courtrooms during judicial proceedings must be unobtrusive and must not produce distracting sound.

CRITICAL

Television cameras and related courtroom equipment must be unobtrusive in size and appearance and produce no distracting sound or light.

Television cameras, together with any related equipment to be located in the courtroom, must be unobtrusive in both size and appearance, without distracting sound or light.

CRITICAL

Changes to existing audio systems require the presiding judge’s approval.

Any changes in existing audio systems must be approved by the presiding judge.

CRITICAL

Media personnel must demonstrate in advance that proposed equipment meets the requirements, and equipment without advance judicial approval may be barred from the proceeding.

It shall be the duty of media personnel to demonstrate to the judge reasonably in advance of the proceeding that the equipment sought to be used meets the criteria set forth in this section. Failure to obtain advance judicial approval for equipment may preclude its use in the proceeding.

CRITICAL

Modifications to existing systems may not be made at public expense.

No modifications of existing systems shall be made at public expense.

CRITICAL

The final pre-trial memorandum must substantially comply with Appendix B1 for cases with children or Appendix B2 for cases without children.

Prior to the commencement of trial, the parties shall present to the court a final pre-trial memorandum, which includes, at a minimum, the following, in a form that substantially complies with Appendix B1 (with children) and Appendix B2 (without children).

CRITICAL

Equipment used for extended coverage may not use a signal visible or audible to participants to indicate whether it is operating.

No light or signal visible or audible to participants in the proceeding shall be used on any equipment during extended coverage to indicate whether it is operating.

CRITICAL

Microphones for counsel and judges must have power switches.

Microphones for use of counsel and judges shall be equipped with power switches to facilitate compliance with subsections 1.2(e) and (f) of this policy.

CRITICAL

All media equipment and personnel must be in place at least 15 minutes before the proceeding is scheduled to begin.

All media equipment and personnel shall be in place at least fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled time of commencement of the proceeding.

CRITICAL

Microphones, wiring, and audio recording equipment must be unobtrusive and technically adequate to prevent interference with proceedings.

Microphones, wiring and audio recording equipment shall be unobtrusive and shall be of adequate technical quality to prevent interference with the covered judicial proceedings.

CRITICAL

The initial case management order must be in a form consistent with Appendix A.

At the conclusion of the initial case management conference, the parties shall submit to the court a completed initial case management order in a form consistent with Appendix A to these rules, which shall provide, at a minimum, the following:

CRITICAL

Flashbulbs and other artificial lighting may not be used in the courtroom, except for light sources already present there.

Other than light sources already existing in the courtroom, no flashbulbs or other artificial light device of any kind shall be employed in the courtroom.

CRITICAL

Remote-hearing participants, including attorneys and testifying witnesses, must appear by video and audio with their cameras on.

Video and Audio: Any person participating in the remote hearing, whether an attorney or a witness testifying, must appear by both video and audio. The camera must be turned on so the judge can see the attorney and/or witness;

CRITICAL

Still cameras and lenses must be unobtrusive and produce no distracting light or sound.

Still cameras and lenses must be unobtrusive without distracting light or sound.

WARNING

Participants must join the hearing from an environment free of video and audio distractions.

Environment: All participants must be in an environment free of video and/or audio distractions;

WARNING

Attorneys must wear appropriate business attire at court appearances, and parties should wear business-casual attire if possible.

Business Attire: For court appearances, whether in-person or remote hearings, attorneys shall dress in appropriate business attire (i.e., suits, sport coats and ties, pantsuits, dresses, and skirts). At a minimum, the parties should also dress in business-casual if possible.

WARNING

All participants must use their real names, not aliases, while online.

All persons must use their real names (not aliases) while online to ensure they will not be prevented from entering the hearing;

WARNING

In the discretion of the presiding judge of each county, the Mediation Referral Form shall substantially conform to Appendix D to these rules.

In the discretion of the presiding judge of each county, the Mediation Referral Form shall substantially conform to Appendix D to these rules.

WARNING

The Court and parties must take reasonable precautions to ensure a witness testifies alone in a secure, closed room without interruptions or distractions.

In addition, the Court and the parties are to take all reasonable precautions to assure the following: - ▪ The witness is alone in a secure room with the doors closed. - ▪ There will be no interruptions or distractions for the duration of the witness's testimony and appearance at the remote hearing.

WARNING

Witnesses should review the relevant filed materials beforehand and bring matching copies, subject to the stated exception and restrictions on referring to them.

The witness should have recently read all affidavits, statements, and documents before the remote hearing and have a copy of those documents with them and identified in the same matter as the documents are filed with the clerk. (Note: The witness will only be allowed to refer to and/or read from said documents when instructed to do so.) This provision is not mandatory for materials to be used in cross examination or in the examination of an adverse witness.

WARNING

Participants must mute their microphones when they are not speaking.

When a participant is not speaking, the participant shall mute his or her microphone;

WARNINGCivil cases

An appeal of a denial or removal from the mediator list must be made in writing.

An applicant denied inclusion on or removed from the court-approved list may appeal the decision in writing within ten (10) days to the Chief Judge or his/her designee.

WARNING

With the judge’s approval, existing courtroom light sources may be modified if the modifications are installed and maintained without public expense.

With the approval of the judge, however, modifications may be made in light sources existing in the courtroom (e.g., higher wattage light bulbs), provided modifications are installed and maintained without public expense.

WARNING

In the discretion of the presiding judge of each county, the Mediation Order shall substantially conform to Appendix C to these rules.

In the discretion of the presiding judge of each county, the Mediation Order shall substantially conform to Appendix C to these rules.

WARNING

Unless the court approves otherwise, the parenting plan must comply at minimum with the standardized Parenting Plan.

Unless otherwise approved by the court, the parenting plan shall comply, at a minimum, with the standardized Parenting Plan which can be accessed by clicking on the following Parenting Plan.

WARNINGCivil cases

Individuals seeking appointment as a family mediators must apply in writing.

individuals seeking court appointment as a family mediator shall apply in writing

INFO

The forms may be completed by handwriting or typing into the PDF form.

The forms are ADA accessible, and you can handwrite or type into the PDF form.