Judge Philip G. Reinhard
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Page & Word Limits1 rule
Parties are limited to no more than five motions in limine per side unless otherwise ordered by the court.
Motion In Limine
Document Format Requirements1 rule
The Final Pretrial Order in Western Division civil cases must use the approved November 29, 2006 Western Division FPTO form.
The Final Pretrial Order to be used in civil cases pending in the Western Division shall, pursuant to Local Rule 16.1 of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, be in the form approved November 29, 2006, for use in the Western Division (“Western Division FPTO”), which is available in the District Court Clerk’s Office, Western Division.
Document Filing Requirements10 rules
Footnotes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, and 14 of Form LR16.1.1 shall apply to the preparation of the Western Division FPTO.
DocumentPretrial Order
and, in the case of a motion for summary judgment, with a Local Rule 56.1 stat ement of mat erial facts.
DocumentMotion
Motions under Rule 12 and Motions for Summary Judgment under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure filed in t he Western Division must be accompanied at the time of filing with a supporting memorandum of law
DocumentMotion
These motions must contain a representation by counsel that the motion is agreed and captioned as such.
DocumentMotion
Objections to exhibits shall be listed in the Final Pretrial Order. Exhibits not objected to in the Final Pretrial Order shall be admitted at trial.
DocumentFinal Pretrial Order
Trial exhibit lists must be exchanged 14 days before trial.
Exhibits will be premarked by the parties. In conformance with the Final Pretrial Order, each side shall prepare a trial exhibit list which is to be exchanged with opposing counsel 14 days prior to trial.
DocumentTrial Exhibit List
Counsel must read professional conduct rules, especially Rule 3.6 on trial publicity.
All Counsel are to read and familiarize themselves with the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Northern District of Illinois Local Rule 83.50, and in particular ABA Model Rule 3.6 on trial publicity. Cases will not be tried in the news media and the court will insure the rights of the defendant and the government to a fair trial.
Counsel are expected to be familiar with the Local Rules of this District.
Counsel must read NDIL Rules of Professional Conduct and ABA Model Rule 3.6.
All counsel are to read and familiarize themselves with the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Northern District of Illinois, Local Rule 83.50, and in particular ABA Model Rule 3.6 on trial publicity.
Counsel shall be conversant with the Local Criminal Rules of the Northern District of Illinois and its Local Rules insofar as they are applicable.
Filing & Service rules
Filing Bundling Requirements
Expert testimony exclusion motions must be filed as part of Rule 56 summary judgment or motion in limine, not as separate motions.
Motions to exclude an expert witness, pursuant to Federal Rule of Evidence 702 and the principles announced in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993), are not to be filed independently as a separate motion. Rather, absent extraordinary circumstances, requests to exclude and/or limit an expert witness’s testimony shall be made either (1) as part of a Rule 56 motion for summary judgment, if a favorable ruling on the request to exclude would be dispositive of the case or a significant portion of the case, or (2) as a motion in limine which, according to the court’s trial procedures for civil trials, shall be filed with the final pretrial order.
Civil cases
Page 1 | STANDING ORDER FOR MOTIONS TO EXCLUDE EXPERT TESTIMONY
Uncontested agreed motions may be filed with clerk, not requiring open court presentation.
The following uncontested, agreed motions may be filed in the clerk's office and need not be presented in open court as required by LR5.3(b):
Chambers Communication Rules
No communication with jurors without court permission.
Pursuant to Local Criminal Rule 31.1, no party, agent or counsel shall communicate with any member of a jury without first receiving permission of the court.
Criminal cases
Page 7 | POST-TRIAL CONTACT WITH JURORS
Lawyers must obtain court leave before contacting jurors.
Pursuant to Local Rule 48.1, no lawyer or agent thereof shall ask questions or make comments to a juror without first obtaining leave of court.
Civil cases
Page 7 | PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AND LOCAL RULES
Cases must not be tried in news media; court will protect fair trial rights.
Cases will not be tried in the news media and the court will insure the rights of the parties to a fair trial.
Civil cases
Page 7 | PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AND LOCAL RULES