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

CRITICAL

Leave the top-right 2-inch-by-2-inch corner of the first page of each pleading blank for the Clerk’s stamp.

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

The required failure-to-appear 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

A civil fee-waiver application must be written on the Illinois Supreme Court form and signed by the applicant or, for a minor or incompetent adult, by a person with knowledge of the facts.

An Application for Waiver of Court Fees in a civil action shall be in writing, on the form adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court, and signed by the applicant or, in the case of a minor or an incompetent adult, by another person having knowledge of the facts, and shall be e-filed in accordance with the Rules, unless e-filing is excused by the Court.

CRITICAL

The body text must be at least 12-point font.

The size of the type in the body of the text must be no less than 12-point font.

CRITICAL

The order preparer must place their name, address, and phone number at the lower left of the last page, and an agreed order should be labeled as agreed.

The attorney or SRL preparing the order shall place his or her name, address, and telephone number at the lower left portion of the last page of the order. An agreed order should be so designated.

CRITICAL

Financial affidavits 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

A document exceeding the Vendor-program file-size limit must be divided into appropriately sized parts, each filed under 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

Filers must take all reasonable steps to ensure electronic 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

Participants must display their real names on Zoom to enter and participate in a hearing.

All persons must use and display their real names (not aliases, “user,” or “iPhone”) on the Zoom platform to gain entrance to and participate in the hearing;

CRITICAL

Pages must be 8 ½ by 11 inches.

The size of the pages must be 8 ½ by 11 inches.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

All electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

CRITICAL

The required arrest warning in covered notices must appear in bold type or be 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.”

CRITICAL

Zoom users must use their legal name as their username before entering the waiting room or they will not be admitted.

All Zoom users must have their legal name as their username before entering the Zoom waiting room or they will not be admitted.

CRITICAL

Margins

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

Documents must use at least 12-point body text, 8½-by-11-inch pages, one-inch minimum margins, and a blank 2-by-2-inch upper-right corner on the first pleading page.

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’s file-size maximum must be divided into multiple documents, each within the 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

Format

PDF

All electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

All electronically filed documents must be in PDF format.

CRITICAL

Margins

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

Each page must have margins of at least 1 inch on every side.

The margins on each side of the page must be a minimum of 1 inch.

WARNING

A judge’s notes must be placed in a sealed envelope marked “Judicial Notes - Impounded Documents” and identified with the judge’s name.

A judge’s notes shall be placed in an envelope, which shall be sealed and marked “Judicial Notes - Impounded Documents,” together with the name of the judge

WARNING

Electronic documents should, to the extent practicable, follow the applicable 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

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

A notice of the hearing on a rule to show cause 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.”

WARNING

The English copy of a will or codicil written in another language must be typewritten.

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.

WARNING

The preparer’s name, address, and telephone number must appear at the lower left of the order’s last page.

The attorney or SRL preparing the order shall place his or her name, address, and telephone number at the lower left portion of the last page of the order.

WARNING

The copy of a handwritten will or codicil filed with a probate petition must be typewritten.

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.

INFO

Counsel and SRLs should mark trial exhibits in advance with available 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.

INFO

Counsel and self-represented litigants should mark trial exhibits in advance with available exhibit stickers and identify them by 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.