**Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz** was appointed to the Northern District of Illinois in 2019 and was sworn in on February 10, 2020. Judge Jantz played Division I women's softball at Dartmouth College. After law school, she clerked in the 7th Circuit's Staff Attorneys' Office. She then practiced at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, focusing on class actions and products liability. Beginning in 2008, she served as a Staff Attorney with the Federal Defender Program in Chicago, representing individuals criminally charged in the Northern District of Illinois who cannot afford to hire counsel. She was President of the Chicago Inn of Court for 2019–20 and has taught and lectured nationally on e-discovery and electronic case management. **Education** - Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., 2002 - Dartmouth College, undergraduate degree, 1999 **Career** - Staff Attorney, Federal Defender Program, Chicago (2008–2020) - Associate, Sidley Austin LLP, Chicago (class actions and products liability) - Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, Staff Attorneys' Office
**Courthouse:** Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60604 **Chambers:** Room 1822 **Phone:** (312) 435-3080 **Fax:** (312) 554-8238 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy: Anthony Squillante
Judge Beth W. Jantz's formatting rule includes plaintiff exhibit file names must begin with numerical characters. Plaintiff exhibit file names must begin with numerical characters.
The rule requires exhibit list. Before the start of each trial day, counsel must provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits entered the previous day.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Each attorney must sign an Attorney Certification before electronic exhibits are released to the jury through JERS.
The exhibit description field is limited to 200 characters.
For exhibits marked for identification, do not include '(ID)' in the JERS exhibit number or description.
Before the start of each trial day, counsel must provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits entered the previous day.
Plaintiff exhibit file names must begin with numerical characters.
Defendant exhibit file names must begin with alpha characters.
Exhibit file names must follow the format <exhibit number> - <exhibit part>_<exhibit description>.<file extension>.
Exhibit number and exhibit part fields are capped at 4 characters each, and the exhibit description field is capped at 200 characters.
Exhibit descriptions must use neutral and non-adversarial language.
Do not include '(ID)' in the exhibit number or description of an electronic copy submitted for use in JERS.
Counsel should have an electronic copy of newly introduced unlisted exhibits available for the courtroom deputy whenever possible.
Exhibits for manual upload should be provided on a CD/DVD or USB drive and named using the proper naming convention.
Counsel must ensure the electronic version of each exhibit shown to jurors is an exact replica of the admitted evidence.
Each attorney must sign an Attorney Certification before electronic exhibits are released to the jury through JERS.
At the conclusion of trial, counsel must provide the courtroom deputy with a list of exhibits to release to the jury through JERS.
Where appropriate, counsel must also provide a second list of paper and physical exhibits to be made available during deliberations.
Plaintiff/government electronic exhibits must be named beginning with numerical characters using the format <exhibit number> - <exhibit part>_<exhibit description>.<file extension>.
Defendant electronic exhibits must be named beginning with alpha characters using the format <exhibit number> - <exhibit part>_<exhibit description>.<file extension>.
All exhibit descriptions must use neutral and non-adversarial terms.
Electronic exhibits in JERS must not display exhibit numbering stickers; the exhibit description replaces the use of stickers.
Avoid group exhibits; multi-page documents cannot be separated in JERS.
JERS accepts .pdf, .jpg, .avi, .wmv, .mpg, .mp3, .wma, .wav files; .xls files not accepted.
Exhibits must be named: exhibit number_underscore_description.file extension.
Plaintiffs: numbers; defendants: letters. Use leading zeros for >10 exhibits.
Exhibit description limited to 200 characters.
Multiple parties: coordinate exhibit numbering (A001, B001, etc.).
Physical objects must be assigned exhibit numbers and described in a one-page PDF for JERS submission.
Use JERS exhibit-naming convention at pretrial conference; supply exhibits on USB/DVD/CD at least 3 business days before.
Do not renumber exhibits after pretrial conference, even if some are deemed inadmissible.
Supply trial exhibits to courtroom deputy and opposing side on USB/DVD/CD at least 3 business days before trial.
Newly admitted trial exhibits must follow JERS naming convention and be supplied digitally as soon as possible.