Local Circuit Court Rules

Last November, the Illinois State Bar Association’s Task Force on Law School Curriculum held a public hearing in Rockford. Participants offered suggestions on how law schools could better prepare new lawyers. Comments were predictable centering on better writing skills and transactional and litigation preparedness. A senior practitioner added that schools should stress the importance of local court rules. And it is true that most lawyers learn the hard way that local court rules vary from circuit to circuit in Illinois.

For example, the local rules for Winnebago and Boone Counties limit briefs and memoranda to 15 pages. DuPage, Kane, DeKalb, and Kendall Counties limit briefs and memoranda to 10 pages, and Lake and McHenry Counties limit opening memoranda to 15 pages and replies to 5 pages. Courtesy copies must be supplied to the judge 7 days before the hearing in DuPage and McHenry Counties but only 5 days prior to the hearing in Lake County. Lake County uniquely requires that copies of cited out-of-state opinions be supplied to the court.

Southern Illinois University School of Law posts what it describes as links to “Illinois Circuit Court Rules on the Internet.” At one time the list was a great resource. But today it is so hopelessly out-of-date that it is useless. Links to selected northern Illinois local circuit court rules follow.

Cook County (here)

DeKalb and Kendall Counties (here)

DuPage County (here)

Kane County (here)

Lake County (here)

McHenry County (here)

Will County (here)

Winnebago and Boone Counties (here)