Northern District of Illinois Local Rules and Judge Filing Requirements
Filing requirements from local rules, individual practices, standing orders, and published court policies for Northern District of Illinois
Federal court local rules are only the first layer. These filing requirements come from individual judges' practices, standing orders, and policies published by the Northern District of Illinois. They supplement the district local rules and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Requirements vary significantly between judges in the same district, so always verify the specific rules for your assigned judge.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Court will test JERS import of trial exhibits.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
Joint status report on settlement required within 14 days of minute order.
- Judge Robert M. Dow Jr.
Rule 26(f) report must include specific information about parties, jurisdiction, claims, and discovery.
- Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins
Physical objects need numbered exhibit designation and one-page PDF placeholder for JERS.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Parties must file joint document with proposed voir dire questions and objections.
- Judge Robert M. Dow Jr.
Rule 26(f) report limited to 5 pages, due 2 business days before initial status conference.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
Settlement letters limited to 6 pages (excluding exhibits).
- Senior Judge Robert W. Gettleman
Summary judgment statements limited to 80 (a)(2) or 40 (b)(3)(B) facts.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Settlement letters should be 5 pages or fewer, but may be longer if necessary.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Trial briefs limited to 10 pages without leave of court.
- Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins
Exhibits must follow JERS naming convention.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Exhibits must be tabbed with protruding tabs per Local Rule 5.2.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Pretrial Order must be three-hole bound or spiral bound with tabs.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Paper exhibits double-sided in three-ring binders; electronic exhibits named, read-only, OCR'd and text-searchable.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
JERS allows jury to review digital exhibits on monitors instead of paper copies.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
Settlement conferences can only be rescheduled by court order with 14-day advance written motion and supporting affidavit.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Plaintiff's letter due 14 business days before; defendant's letter due 7 business days before settlement conference.
- Senior Judge Joan B. Gottschall
Written responses/requests for hearing due 12 days after TRO entry; hearing cancelled if none received.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Requests for expedited transcripts must be made at least 7 days before trial.
- Judge John Robert Blakey
Pretrial motions must be filed by Court-ordered date or specified deadline.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
No contact with jurors after trial without court permission.
- Judge Robert M. Dow Jr.
Initial status conference scheduled approximately 45 days after complaint filing.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Evidence projection systems require 4-week advance request to Alexander Zeier.
- Senior Judge Joan B. Gottschall
Preliminary injunction hearings scheduled Wednesdays/Fridays at 10:30 AM via teleconference unless good cause shown.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Contact Systems Department at 312.435.6045 for courtroom display technology instruction.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
Courtesy copies not required for settlement letters.
- Judge Robert M. Dow Jr.
One courtesy copy of Rule 26(f) report required for Courtroom Deputy.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Two sets of exhibit binders required one week before pretrial conference, with two final binders after rulings.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Two courtesy copies of Final Pretrial Order required for chambers.
- Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins
Paper copies of exhibits should not be delivered to chambers unless requested.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Motions in limine must be filed 3 weeks before pretrial order; responses due 1 week before.
- Senior Judge Robert W. Gettleman
Discovery motions require L.R. 37.2 statement; interrogatory limit of 25 without leave.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Parties must meet and confer on all motions in limine before filing.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Motions in limine must be fully briefed according to court-set schedule.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Substantial exhibit objections must be filed as motions in limine.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
Multiple motions in limine should be filed in one document.
- Judge Sara L. Ellis
Motions in limine and responses must be submitted in single documents.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Opposed motions in limine must follow court schedule; multiple motions should be filed in one document.
- Senior Judge Philip G. Reinhard
Uncontested agreed motions may be filed with clerk, not requiring open court presentation.
- Judge Mary M. Rowland
Motions in limine must be filed separately from joint pretrial statement.
- Senior Judge Robert W. Gettleman
Court approval required before filing any document under seal or as restricted.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Default protective order in Appendix B effective upon initial disclosures; modifications allowed for good cause without delaying disclosures.
- Judge Iain D. Johnston
Sealed documents disposition options per General Rule 10 upon case closure
- Judge Georgia N. Alexakis
Protective order entered under FRCP 26(c)(1) for trade secrets and confidential information.
- Magistrate Judge Jeannice W. Appenteng
Settlement conference statements are confidential and inadmissible at trial under Local Rule 83.5.
- Magistrate Judge Karyn L. Bass Ehler
Parties must exchange settlement letters with opposing counsel prior to the settlement conference.
- Judge Virginia M. Kendall
Third parties not named in the complaint cannot be named in active concert with defendants unless active concert is proven and they receive advance notice and opportunity to be heard.