Northern District of Illinois Filing Rules
645 individual rules extracted from judicial documents in NDIL
These rules are extracted from individual judges' practices, standing orders, and policies published by the Northern District of Illinois. They supplement the court's 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 LaShonda A. Hunt
One exhibit binder with objected-to exhibits and electronic upload required within one business day of filing final pretrial order.
- Judge Robert W. Gettleman
Settlement letters must be submitted 7 days before conference.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
Two sets of exhibit binders with objected-to exhibits due one week before pretrial conference.
- Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert
Principal attorney must attend initial status hearing in person; out-of-district attorneys may request telephonic appearance.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Exhibit binders must use tabs corresponding to exhibit numbers.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Paper exhibits double-sided in three-ring binders; electronic exhibits named, read-only, OCR'd and text-searchable.
- Judge Daniel P. McLaughlin
Exhibit chart format example showing required columns.
- Judge Beth W. Jantz
Electronic exhibits should not display exhibit stickers; use description instead.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Pretrial Order must be three-hole bound or spiral-bound with tabs.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Each side limited to 15 disputed voir dire questions unless good cause shown.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Motions in limine limited to 20 pages per side; responses limited to 20 pages per side; no replies unless ordered.
- Judge Robert W. Gettleman
Joint status report limited to 5 pages.
- Judge Daniel P. McLaughlin
Motions in limine limited to 15 pages per party (support/opposition) and 15 pages per party (response).
- Judge John Robert Blakey
Motions in limine must be filed 10 business days before final pretrial conference, limited to 30 pages in a single pleading.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Exchange voir dire questions 5 business days before deadline; confer 2 business days before.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
No recess requests before cross-examination; proceed immediately unless natural recess timing.
- Judge John Robert Blakey
Pretrial motions must be filed by Court-ordered date or specified deadline.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Requests for expedited transcripts must be made at least 7 days before trial.
- Judge Maria Valdez
No continuances for settlement conferences without motion showing extreme hardship.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Contact Systems Department at 312.435.6045 for courtroom display technology instruction.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
No contact with jurors after trial without court permission.
- Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert
Counsel encouraged to meet in person or by phone to discuss joint status report; discouraged from trading dueling drafts by email.
- Judge Charles P. Kocoras
Jurors must submit written requests to the Court Security Officer, signed by the foreperson or another juror.
- Judge Andrea R. Wood
Court has limited evidence projection systems; request in advance from Joe Novak at (312) 435-6045; parties may use own systems with advance request.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Final pretrial order emailed to specific address and two courtesy copies delivered within one business day.
- Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert
Joint status report required with courtesy copy to chambers 3 business days before initial status hearing.
- Judge Daniel P. McLaughlin
Courtesy copies of Proposed Pretrial Order with more than 5 exhibits must include tabs.
- Judge Andrea R. Wood
Final pretrial order must be filed electronically with two courtesy copies to chambers.
- Judge John Robert Blakey
Pretrial Memorandum must be emailed in Word format with courtesy copy to chambers.
- Judge Edmond E. Chang
Motions in limine must be fully briefed according to court-set schedule.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Parties must meet and confer on all motions in limine before filing.
- Judge Daniel P. McLaughlin
Daubert motions should be filed separately and as soon as reasonably possible.
- Judge Andrea R. Wood
Parties must meet and confer on all motions in limine before filing, and state if there is no objection.
- Judge Manish S. Shah
Responses to motions in limine due one week after filing; no replies without leave.
- Judge LaShonda A. Hunt
Opposed motions in limine must follow court schedule; multiple motions should be filed in one document.
- Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings
Multiple motions in limine should be filed in one document.
- Judge Philip G. Reinhard
Expert testimony exclusion motions must be filed as part of Rule 56 summary judgment or motion in limine, not as separate motions.
- Judge Manish S. Shah
Motions in limine must be filed in consolidated filings; responses due one week after filing; no replies without leave.
- Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes
Multiple motions in limine and responses should be filed as single documents.
- 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.
- Judge Sunil R. Harjani
Default protective order in Appendix B effective upon initial disclosures; modifications allowed for good cause without delaying disclosures.
- Judge Robert W. Gettleman
Court approval required before filing any document under seal or as restricted.
- Judge Jeannice W. Appenteng
Settlement conference statements are confidential and inadmissible at trial under Local Rule 83.5.