Judge Maria Valdez
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Exhibits
- 1 copy • With Filing
Pretrial Order
- 1 copy • With Filing
Proposed Findings Conclusions
- 1 copy • Seven Days Before Trial
Adjournments
- No continuances for settlement conferences without motion showing extreme hardship.
Request must include
Communication
Chambers
Page & Word Limits3 rules
The Court expects that each of these letters typically should be five pages or fewer. Parties must obtain leave of Court before submitting letters longer than ten pages.
Settlement Letter
5 pages
Applies to: Attorney
An initial Attorneys-Only Conference, lasting no more than one hour, will most likely be set in advance of a full conference.
Attorneys Only Conference
The joint status report shall generally not exceed three pages and shall contain the following information:
Status Report
3 pages
Document Filing Requirements9 rules
Only one lawyer per side may actively participate in Attorneys-Only conferences; others must be muted with camera off.
If one is set in your case, you are to designate one lawyer from each side to participate; the remote appearance of multiple lawyers is unworkable. If any other lawyers appear in the meeting, they must be muted, with their camera turned off.
DocumentAttorneys Only Conference
Counsel shall provide copies of both parties’ settlement letters to their respective clients prior to the settlement conference date.
DocumentSettlement Letter
Any requests to extend the letter schedule must be submitted by written motion.
DocumentExtension Request
The parties’ letters must disclose the existence of any liens or private litigation funding sources.
DocumentSettlement Letter
Modifications to standing order procedures require motion; no telephonic requests accepted.
A PARTY WISHING TO VARY ANY OF THE PROCEDURES SET FORTH IN THIS STANDING ORDER MUST MAKE AN APPROPRIATE REQUEST TO THE COURT BY MOTION. NO MODIFICATIONS MAY BE MADE THROUGH TELEPHONIC REQUESTS TO CHAMBERS STAFF.
DocumentMotion
Settlement letters should reflect each party’s good faith efforts to settle the case, and the Court generally believes that settlement demands seeking full recovery and settlement offers of no value are not made in good faith. If a party’s letter does not meet the good faith standard, the party may be asked to submit an amended letter, or the settlement referral may be summarily closed.
DocumentSettlement Letter
If audio, video, or photographs have been produced in discovery and are relevant to liability or damages, they must be submitted with the settlement letter(s).
DocumentSettlement Letter
Attach a copy of the ALJ's decision as an exhibit to the brief.
DocumentBrief
Trial briefs are not required in jury trials. The Court will advise the parties if a trial brief is required in a bench trial. Any party who has not been advised that a trial brief is necessary but who nevertheless wishes to file a trial brief must seek leave of the Court to do so.
DocumentTrial Brief
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Responsive brief due 45 days after the opening brief.
the responsive brief will be due 45 days thereafter
Civil cases
Page 1 | A. BRIEFING SCHEDULE
Opening brief due within 60 days of the filing of the administrative record.
The opening brief will generally be due within 60 days of the filing of the administrative record
Civil cases
Page 1 | A. BRIEFING SCHEDULE
Reply brief, if any, due 14 days after the responsive brief.
the reply, if any, will be due 14 days thereafter
Civil cases
Page 1 | A. BRIEFING SCHEDULE
Courtesy Copy Requirements
One courtesy copy of all exhibits must be delivered to Courtroom Deputy on pretrial order due date.
In addition, one courtesy copy of all exhibits must be delivered to the Courtroom Deputy (Room 1036) on the date the final pretrial order is due.
Proposed findings and conclusions must be filed separately with chambers copy 7 days before bench trial.
In a bench trial, proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law are not to be included in the final pretrial order, but are to be separately filed (with one courtesy copy delivered to chambers) seven (7) calendar days before trial.
Final pretrial order requires one courtesy copy to be included.
The final pretrial order (including the Court’s one courtesy copy) must include the following items:
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Motions in limine must be filed separately, 21 days before pretrial order, with responses due 14 days before.
The actual motions in limine are not to be bound with the final pretrial order, but must be submitted separately according to the following schedule: If no briefing schedule has been set, motions in limine shall be filed no later than twenty-one (21) days before the pretrial order is to be filed and responses no later than fourteen (14) days before the pretrial order is to be filed.
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
No continuances for settlement conferences without motion showing extreme hardship.
The Court sets aside a significant block of time for each settlement conference. Because of the volume of settlement conferences conducted by Judge Valdez, once a settlement conference date has been agreed upon, no continuance will be granted without a motion showing extreme hardship.
Chambers Communication Rules
Settlement letters must be emailed to court, not filed with clerk.
Plaintiff’s counsel shall electronically submit copies of these letters to the Court at Proposed_Order_Valdez@ilnd.uscourts.gov by the date ordered. DO NOT FILE COPIES OF THESE LETTERS IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE.
Settlement conferences held remotely on Webex unless otherwise ordered.
All conferences will be held remotely on the Webex platform unless otherwise ordered.