17th Judicial Circuit Court, Winnebago County, Illinois Document Format Requirements
40 rules from official source documents
Font, margin, spacing, and file format requirements for court filings.
CRITICAL
- Format
Every electronically filed document must be in PDF format.
Any electronically filed document must be in portable document format.
CRITICAL
The judge must issue a written order granting or denying a motion to seal on a form substantially similar to Appendix HH.
The judge hearing the motion shall enter a written order either granting or denying the request on a form substantially similar to Appendix HH.
CRITICAL
- Format
Documents must generally be converted directly to PDF from their creating program; paper-only documents may be scanned, and proposed-order PDFs must come directly from a word-processing program.
Documents must be converted to PDF directly from the program creating the document, rather than from the scanned image of a paper document. Documents only in paper format may be scanned and converted to PDF for electronic filing. In the event that proposed orders are submitted in a case, the PDF of the proposed order must be generated directly from a word processing program.
CRITICAL
- Applies to
- Pleading
The upper-right 2-by-2-inch area on the first page of each pleading must be left blank for the Clerk’s stamp.
The top right 2 inch by 2 inch corner of the first page of each pleading shall be left blank for the clerk’s stamp
CRITICAL
Use the single standardized financial affidavit determined by the Illinois Supreme Court.
Pursuant to 750 ILCS 5/501, a single standardized financial affidavit, as determined by the Illinois Supreme Court, shall be used statewide.
CRITICAL
Supplemental income verification documentation must not be filed as an attachment to a fee-waiver application.
Supplemental income verification documentation shall not be filed as attachments to an Application for Waiver of Fees.
CRITICAL
When ordered by the court each disbursement stated in a final account or an account intended to be binding under the Probate Act, shall be designated by a number and supported by a voucher, which may be a canceled check or other evidence of payment. Vouchers shall be numbered and arranged in the same order as the disbursements in the account, shall be securely fastened together under a separate cover, and shall be exhibited, but vouchers (other than for distributions) need not be filed with the account, unless objection thereto has been made by any interested party; and
When ordered by the court each disbursement stated in a final account or an account intended to be binding under the Probate Act, shall be designated by a number and supported by a voucher, which may be a canceled check or other evidence of payment. Vouchers shall be numbered and arranged in the same order as the disbursements in the account, shall be securely fastened together under a separate cover, and shall be exhibited, but vouchers (other than for distributions) need not be filed with the account, unless objection thereto has been made by any interested party; and
CRITICAL
Filers must consult Vendor materials for the maximum file size and divide oversized documents into multiple parts, each below that maximum.
Inasmuch as technology changes, the maximum file size allowable is available in the Vendor's program materials. If a document exceeds the maximum size allowed, the filer will file multiple documents, each under the maximum file size. In such case, the user will be responsible for dividing the document into appropriately sized parts.
CRITICAL
Fee petitions must be named by their sequence and, when applicable, comply with General Order 4.06.
Fee Petitions shall be named to indicate whether it is the first petition for fees, second petition for fees, and so on. When applicable, Fee Petitions shall also conform to General Order 4.06.
CRITICAL
Body text must be at least 12-point type, and footnotes must be at least 10-point type.
The size of the type in the body of the test must be no less than 12 point font and the footnotes no less than 10 point font
CRITICAL
Document pages must be 8½ by 11 inches.
The size of the pages must be 8 ½ by 11 inches
CRITICAL
- Margins
- top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in
Jury instructions must meet the specified paper, printing, spacing, margin, and 12-point Times New Roman requirements; condensed type and carbon copies are prohibited.
A. Form of Jury Instructions Jury Instructions shall be produced in clear, black print on white, opaque, unglazed paper, 8 ½ by 11 inches. Only one side of the paper may be used. The text must be single spaced, with each paragraph separated by one single space. Margins must be left justified and be one inch on all sides (except indentations as permitted). Documents may be produced by a word-processing system, typewritten or commercially printed, and reproduced by any process that provides clear copies consistent with the requirements of this rule. Typeface must be 12-point Times New Roman font throughout the document. Condensed type is prohibited. Carbon copies are not permitted.
CRITICALCivil cases
Briefs are to be double-spaced.
Briefs shall be limited to fifteen (15) pages, double-spaced unless a higher page limit is approved by the Court.
CRITICAL
- Margins
- top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in
Each page must have margins of at least one inch on every side.
The margins on each side of the page must each be a minimum of 1 inch
CRITICAL
Type your signature if completing the form on a computer; if completing it by hand, sign and print your name.
If you are completing this form on a computer, sign your name by typing it. If you are completing it by hand, sign and print your name.
CRITICAL
Substantive motions in limine must be in writing and cite relevant supporting case law or statutory authority.
“Substantive” motions in limine shall be in writing and shall cite any relevant case law or statutory authority supporting the movant’s position.
CRITICAL
Motions to continue must be in writing and supported by an affidavit pursuant to 725 ILCS 5/114-4.
All motions to continue shall be in writing and supported by affidavit pursuant to 725 ILCS 5/114-4
CRITICAL
- Applies to
- Exhibits
Before trial, counsel must mark each exhibit with a small sticker showing the case name and exhibit number.
Counsel shall have all of their exhibits marked prior to trial with small exhibit stickers that include the case name and exhibit number and will provide an exhibit list to the court prior to opening statements.
CRITICAL
Arguments must be conducted remotely via Zoom unless exigent circumstances require an in-person appearance.
Arguments shall be conducted remotely via Zoom, unless exigent circumstances exist that require an in-person appearance.
CRITICALCivil cases
Exhibits must be separately labeled and paginated, and each exhibit’s cover page must identify the submitting party, exhibit number or letter, a short description, and the case number.
Whether hardcopy or e-filed, all exhibits shall be separately labeled and paginated. This shall be done through a cover page which shall include the name/title of the submitting party, an Exhibit number or letter, a short description, and a case number. Again, each exhibit shall be separately paginated. For example: Pl. Ex. A, p. 1.
CRITICALCivil cases
The Rule 218 Case Management Order must use only the attached form.
Counsel and parties shall use only the attached Rule 218 Case Management Order.
CRITICAL
- Format
Judge’s copies of motions, position statements, memoranda and other pleadings should be sent as PDF copies directly to the judge’s email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Judge’s copies of motions, position statements, memoranda and other pleadings should be sent as PDF copies directly to the judge’s email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CRITICALCriminal cases
Substantive motions in limine and their responses must be written and cite relevant supporting case law or statutory authority.
"Substantive motions in limine" and responses to substantive motions in limine shall be in writing and shall cite any relevant case law or statutory authority supporting the movant's position.
CRITICALCriminal cases
Before trial, counsel must mark all exhibits with small stickers showing the case name, case number, and exhibit number.
Counsel shall have all of their exhibits marked prior to trial with small exhibit stickers that include the case name, case number, and exhibit number.
CRITICALCivil cases
Financial Affidavits must use the statewide approved form or an alternative substantially in the form of Appendix O to the Local Rules.
The parties shall use the Illinois Supreme Court’s statewide approved form of Financial Affidavit or an alternative which is in substantially the form set forth in Appendix O to the Local Rules for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit (“Local Rules”).1
WARNINGCivil cases
- Margins
- top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in
All briefs should be in ten (10) point font or larger and have no less than one (1) inch margins.
All briefs should be in ten (10) point font or larger and have no less than one (1) inch margins.
WARNINGCivil cases
- Applies to
- Surety property schedule
The surety property schedule must use a form approved by the court, unless the court excuses the sureties from filing it.
Unless excused by the court, sureties shall execute and file a schedule of property in a form approved by the court.
WARNING
Each listed asset must be identified by its number in the inventory, supplemental inventory, or prior account where it first appeared, unless the account is prepared and controlled by a mechanized accounting system.
Each asset listed in a account shall be designated by the number in the inventory, supplemental inventory or prior account in which it first appears, except that this requirement is waived if the account is prepared and controlled by a mechanized accounting system.
WARNING
Numbering of exhibits used at trial should not duplicate the numbers assigned to the exhibits at the evidence deposition (e.g., if Exhibits 1 and 2 are marked during the evidence deposition, the first exhibit at trial would be Exhibit 3).
Numbering of exhibits used at trial should not duplicate the numbers assigned to the exhibits at the evidence deposition (e.g., if Exhibits 1 and 2 are marked during the evidence deposition, the first exhibit at trial would be Exhibit 3).
WARNING
Each page of the exhibit shall be page numbered and reference the exhibit number. For example: P. Ex. 1 - Pg 2. This should be in the header or at the top of the document.
Each page of the exhibit shall be page numbered and reference the exhibit number. For example: P. Ex. 1 - Pg 2. This should be in the header or at the top of the document.
WARNING
- Applies to
- Electronically filed pleading
Electronically filed pleadings should follow the formatting rules for paper pleadings to the extent practicable.
All electronically filed pleadings shall, to the extent practicable, be formatted in accordance with the applicable rules governing the formatting of paper pleadings.
WARNING
Each exhibit’s filing description must use the specified party-exhibit-case-number format, with dashes and no spaces; multiple parties must be numbered.
c. The Filing Description, or document name, of each exhibit shall be in the following format: [P or D for Plaintiff or Defendant] [dash] [number of exhibit] [dash] [Case number]. No spaces should be utilized, only dashes. If there is more than one plaintiff and/or defendant, then P1, P2, D1, D2 et. seq. shall be utilized.
WARNINGCriminal cases
To the extent reasonably possible, counsel for the State and counsel for the Defendant shall have all Exhibits anticipated to be offered as substantive or demonstrative evidence or that may be used as rebuttal evidence marked in advance for identification purposes with exhibit letters or exhibit numbers and shall provide courtesy copies of all paper exhibits to opposing counsel.
To the extent reasonably possible, counsel for the State and counsel for the Defendant shall have all Exhibits anticipated to be offered as substantive or demonstrative evidence or that may be used as rebuttal evidence marked in advance for identification purposes with exhibit letters or exhibit numbers and shall provide courtesy copies of all paper exhibits to opposing counsel.
WARNINGCriminal cases
When courtesy copies are emailed to the Court, they must be in PDF format, and opposing counsel must be copied.
Copies may be provided by mail, by delivery to chambers, or by e-mail in PDF format to bmaher@17thCircuit.illinoiscourts.gov with opposing counsel copied on all such e-mail correspondence.
WARNINGCriminal cases
If trial technology will be used, the parties should test the exhibit with that technology before trial begins.
If any technology including but not limited to laptops, thumb drives, compact disk videos need to be utilized, the parties should test the exhibit with said technology prior to the commencement of the trial.
WARNINGCriminal cases
If technology-dependent evidence will be sent to the jury, the parties should secure a clean machine containing only what is needed to display the admitted evidence.
In addition, should any video, photographic or any other evidence requiring the use of technology need to be sent to the jury, the parties should secure a "clean" machine for the submission of said evidence to the jury. A "clean" machine is one that does not have any other apps, programs, documents or other items continued thereon other than that needed for the display of the admitted evidence.
INFO
Copies may substitute for original exhibits when necessary if the parties agree or the court orders substitution.
Where the parties agree or the court orders, copies may be substituted for original exhibits if necessary.
INFOCriminal cases
Counsel should highlight or tab the most relevant portions of documents on which arguments will be based.
Counsel should highlight or tab the most relevant portions of all documents upon which arguments will be based.
INFO
- Applies to
- Voir dire questions
If counsel wishes to address a case-specific fact or area of law in voir dire, the Court strongly recommends submitting the questions in writing as a motion in limine for approval.
It is strongly recommended that if counsel seeks to address a case specific fact or area of law in voir dire, they first submit those questions in writing as a motion in limine to the Court for approval. (See paragraph (E)(2)(b) above).
INFOCivil cases
Statements of Assets and Liabilities should substantially follow the form in Appendix V to the Local Rules.
Statements should be in substantially the form set forth in Appendix V to the Local Rules.
What formatting rules apply to filings in 17th Judicial Circuit Court, Winnebago County, Illinois?
17th Judicial Circuit Court, Winnebago County, Illinois' formatting rule includes file format PDF. Every electronically filed document must be in PDF format.
Judge Stephen E. Balogh's formatting rule includes file format PDF. Judge’s copies of motions, position statements, memoranda and other pleadings should be sent as PDF copies directly to the judge’s email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Judge Brendan A. Maher's formatting rule includes when courtesy copies are provided by e-mail, they must be in pdf format.. When courtesy copies are emailed to the Court, they must be in PDF format, and opposing counsel must be copied.
10 more rules answer this question.
Related categories
Back to all rules for this courtPage & Word Limits
Maximum page counts and word limits for motions, briefs, and other filings by judge.
Courtesy Copy Requirements
When and how to deliver courtesy copies to chambers, including triggers, timing, and formatting.
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing requirements, permitted filing channels, EFSP portals, and exceptions.
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Filing cutoffs, deemed-filed rules, rejection handling, cure periods, and outage procedures.