Judge Levander Smith Jr.
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
Court-wideCommunication
Clerk31 contacts
- tlhudson@cookcountycourt.com
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- probatecrt1814aorders@cookcountycourt.com
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- probatecrt1804orders@cookcountycourt.com
- probatecrt1811orders@cookcountycourt.com
- probatecrt1801orders@cookcountycourt.com
- joseph.fleming@cookcountyil.gov
- beanaele@cookcountycourt.com
- snadams@cookcountycourt.com
- dwhensel@cookcountycourt.com
- probatedivservices@cookcountycourt.com
- efilehelp@cookcountycourt.com
- jlmckay@cookcountycourt.com
- probate.divatty@cookcountyil.gov
- (312) 603-5694
- (312) 603-2486
- (312) 603-5025
- (312) 603-6878
- (312) 603-2591
- (312) 603-7229
- (312) 603-3784, (312) 603-5647
- (312) 603-6558
- (312) 603-5157
- (312) 603-5647
Chambers3 contacts
- (312) 603-5943
- (312) 603-7546
- (312) 603-7545
Other Contacts1 contacts
- efiling.support@tylertech.com
Document Filing Requirements8 rules
Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026Mandatory
Written motions must be file-stamped before presentation to the acting courtroom coordinator, must state supporting facts and cite legal authority, and may be stricken otherwise.
All written motions must FIRST be file-stamped and THEN presented to the acting courtroom coordinator who will schedule it and provide the court with a copy, and all written motions must state supporting facts and cite applicable legal authority. They may otherwise be stricken or re-scheduled for proper presentation.
Document Type
Motion
Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026Mandatory
Fee petitions must comply with IL Supreme Court Rule 299, General Order No. 26, 750 ILCS 5/508, and all applicable law.
The petition MUST be in compliance with IL Supreme Court Rule 299, General Order No. 26, 750 ILCS 5/508 and all applicable case and statutory law.
Document Type
Fee Petition
Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026Important
To be heard, a file-stamped fee petition must be scheduled through the acting courtroom coordinator, placed in the 10J shared drive and red book/docket sheet, and emailed to the court.
To be heard, the file stamped fee petition is to be provided to and scheduled through the acting courtroom coordinator. After it is scheduled, it is to be placed in the 10J shared drive and placed on the court red book and docket sheet. Then, the court will be emailed a copy.
Document Type
Fee Petition
Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026Important
Motions for Return Home (as part of a permanency hearing) and Case Closure (as part of a Progress Report) may be oral; otherwise they must be filed with proper notice.
Motions for Return Home, heard as part of a PH, and Motions for Case Closure, heard as part of a Progress Report on an Order of Protection, may be oral motions. Otherwise, these motions must be filed with proper notice to the parties, following #5 above.
Document Type
Motion
Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026Important
Exhibits and motions emailed to the court must include the hearing date and time.
Exhibits & motions emailed to the court must include the hearing date and time in the email or document.
Document Type
Motion
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
EMERGENCY MOTIONS must always be in writing and meet the requirements of Cook County Rule 13.4(a)(ii)b—(sudden or unforeseen circumstances with an affidavit for the particular reason why the matter takes precedence) and must follow step 1 above, where practicable. Otherwise, a file-stamped copy of the emergency motion is to be tendered to the court and parties as soon as possible, regardless of any ruling or continuance entered.
Summary: Emergency motions must be in writing with an affidavit stating sudden or unforeseen circumstances, and must be tendered to the court and parties as soon as possible if not filed in advance.
Document Type
Emergency Motion
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
Oral motions for any type of Parent/Child visits and Return Home under an Order of Protection may be incorporated into a permanency hearing (PH); otherwise, the motion must be filed with proper notice to the parties, following #5 above.
Summary: Oral motions for Parent/Child visits and Return Home under an Order of Protection may be heard at a permanency hearing; otherwise they must be filed with proper notice.
Document Type
Motion
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
Running totals of all amounts awarded are to be included in each filed fee petition for all cases assigned to bar attorneys on August 1, 2025 & thereafter, in calendar 10J cases.
Summary: Fee petitions must include running totals of all amounts awarded for cases assigned to bar attorneys on or after August 1, 2025.
Document Type
Fee Petition
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Attorneys must place all orders in the 10J shared drive no later than one hour after court adjourns; the deputy clerk emails the link to the court by noon each workday.
Attorneys are to place all orders in the 10J share drive no later than an hour after court is adjourned, including during duty week. Each work day, before noon, the deputy clerk assigned to 10J will email to the court a link of all of the orders placed in the share drive from the prior court day.
Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | OTHER
Orders returned for changes must be amended and emailed by 4:00 p.m. of the same business day.
Orders returned to 10J attorneys for changes are to be amended and emailed to the court and copied to the parties and the deputy clerk by 4:00p.m. of the same business day.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases
Page 1 | OTHER
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Orders returned for changes must be emailed to the court, copied to the parties, and copied to the deputy clerk.
Orders returned to 10J attorneys for changes are to be amended and emailed to the court and copied to the parties and the deputy clerk by 4:00p.m. of the same business day.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases
Page 1 | OTHER
Notice for fee petitions is given only to the State's Attorney and the court, via the Acting Courtroom Coordinator.
Proper notice is only to the Office of the State’s Attorney and the court, via the Acting Courtroom Coordinator.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases
Page 1 | FEE PETITIONS
Chambers Communication Rules
Attorneys must not include the court in email chains; the coordinator selects which chains to share.
The attorneys are NOT to include the court in email chains. The court coordinator will select which chains, if any, to share with the court.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases
Page 1 | OTHER