18th Judicial Circuit Court, DuPage County Chambers Communication Rules

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026CRITICAL

Motions must be scheduled for hearing with the Court or its secretary before they can be heard, except in emergencies.

With the exception of emergency matters, no motion shall be heard unless previously scheduled for hearing with the Court or with the Court’s secretary.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Subscribers and participants must notify other parties, the Clerk, and the e-filing vendor of changes to contact information at least ten business days before the change takes effect.

All subscribers and other participants must immediately, but not later than ten business days prior to when such a change takes effect, notify other parties, the Clerk and the e- filing vendor of any change of firm name, delivery address, fax number or email

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

While a case is pending, arbitrators may not be contacted, publicly comment, or respond to questions about a case they heard.

An arbitrator may not be contacted, nor publicly comment, nor respond to questions regarding a particular arbitration case heard by that arbitrator during the pendency of that case.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

A party needing a language interpreter or assistance for the deaf/hearing impaired must notify the Arbitration Administrator at least 30 days before the hearing.

Any party requiring the services of a language interpreter or other assistance for the deaf or hearing impaired during the hearing shall notify the Arbitration Administrator of said need not less than thirty (30) days prior to the hearing.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Arbitrators may not be contacted, publicly comment, or respond to questions about a case they heard during the pendency of that cause.

An arbitrator may not be contacted, nor publicly comment, nor respond to questions regarding a particular arbitration case heard by that arbitrator during the pendency of that cause.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Attorneys may not contact the court-appointed evaluator during or after the evaluation without leave of Court, except for referral-form matters or scheduling; guardians ad litem and child attorneys may contact the evaluator as requested or to provide initial case information.

Attorneys for the parties shall not contact the evaluator either during or after the evaluation, without leave of Court, except concerning those matters in the referral form or in regard to scheduling. Guardians ad litem/child representatives/attorneys for child(ren) are permitted to have contact with the evaluator, as requested by the evaluator, or to provide initial information about the child(ren) or the case progress.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Court dates and times must be scheduled through the judge or designated scheduler, except for shelter care, detention, or return on summons matters.

Except for shelter care, detention, or return on summons, court dates and times shall be scheduled through the judge or their designated scheduler.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026INFO

Court dates and times must be scheduled through the juvenile judge or designated scheduler, except for shelter care, detention, or return on summons.

Except for shelter care, detention, or return on summons, court dates and times shall be scheduled through the judge or their designated scheduler.

Machine summary. Not checked yet.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

Contact

Letter ecf to chambers ?

If a case set for pre-trial is settled or disposed of prior to its scheduled pre-trial conference date, the attorneys shall advise the judge in advance so that said appointed time may be used to accommodate other cases. Failure of attorneys to comply may result in the imposition of sanctions.

Summary: Attorneys must advise the judge in advance if a case settles before the pre-trial conference.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

The petitioner's attorney shall have the duty of notifying the Department of Probate and Court Services within five (5) days after the petition is filed, if consents are to be taken.

Summary: In adoption cases where consents are to be taken, the petitioner's attorney must notify the Department of Probate and Court Services within 5 days after the petition is filed.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

The parties shall contact the Program as ordered and within three (3) days after the referral order is entered for the purpose of setting an appointment.

Summary: Parties must contact the Program within 3 days after the referral order is entered to set a mediation appointment.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Except for the initial status date provided in Local Rule 15.07, all court dates and times, including pre-trial and trial dates, shall be obtained from the trial judge or one of the court schedulers at the direction of the trial judge.

Summary: Except for the initial status date, all court dates and times must be obtained from the trial judge or the court schedulers at the judge's direction.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

If a case set for pre-trial is settled or disposed of prior to its scheduled pre-trial conference date, the attorneys shall advise the judge in advance so that said appointed time may be used to accommodate other cases. Failure of attorneys to comply may result in the imposition of sanctions.

Summary: Attorneys must notify the judge in advance when a case set for pre-trial settles so the time may be reassigned, with sanctions for non-compliance.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Any communication to the Court by either the Petitioner or Intermediary should also be sent to the other person and should be styled as a Motion or Petition requesting the Court’s official action. The correspondence should be sent to the Court and other party no later than 5 business days prior to the requested court date.

Summary: Communications to the Court in confidential-intermediary matters must be styled as Motions or Petitions requesting official action, copied to the other party, and sent no later than 5 business days before the requested court date.

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Contact

Phone to intake unit ?

If advancement or postponement is granted, the party requesting the advancement or postponement shall immediately notify the Arbitration Administrator, by phone and fax, or personal service, or if time permits, mail of the new date and time.

Summary: After an arbitration date change is granted, the requesting party must promptly notify the Arbitration Administrator of the new date and time by phone/fax, personal service, or possibly mail.

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Contact

Phone to intake unit ?

Upon settlement of any case scheduled for an arbitration hearing, counsel for plaintiff shall immediately notify the Arbitration Administrator of such settlement by phone and fax, or personal service, or if time gives, mail as time permits.

Summary: When a case set for arbitration is settled, plaintiff’s counsel must immediately notify the Arbitration Administrator by phone and fax, personal service, or mail only if time permits.

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Contact

Phone to clerk ?

If a party calls the Arbitration Center and indicates they will be late, the case will be held for a reasonable time. Any time delay will be deducted from the presentation time of the party causing the delay.

Summary: A party who calls the Arbitration Center to report lateness will have the case held for a reasonable time, but the delay will be deducted from that party's presentation time.

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Contact

Letter ecf to chambers ?

If a case set for pre-trial is settled or disposed of prior to its scheduled pre-trial conference date, the attorneys shall advise the judge in advance so that said appointed time may be used to accommodate other cases. Failure of attorneys to comply may result in the imposition of sanctions.

Summary: Attorneys must advise the judge in advance if a case set for pre-trial is settled before the scheduled pre-trial date, or they may face sanctions.

Machine summary. Not checked yet.WARNING?

Contact

Letter ecf to chambers ?

Any communication to the Court by either the Petitioner or Intermediary should also be sent to the other person and should be styled as a Motion or Petition requesting the Court's official action. The correspondence should be sent to the Court and other party no later than 5 business days prior to the requested court date.

Summary: Communications to the Court in Confidential Intermediary matters must be styled as a Motion or Petition, copied to the other party, and sent no later than 5 business days before the requested court date.

Machine summary. Not checked yet.WARNING?

Civil cases

Contact

Phone to clerk ?

It is the responsibility of each attorney to contact the court scheduler in advance of the trial date to find out if the Court is otherwise engaged and unable to hear a case on the scheduled trial date.

Summary: Attorneys must contact the court scheduler in advance of the trial date to check court availability.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Contact

Phone to clerk ?

If such advancement or postponement is granted, the party requesting the advancement or postponement shall immediately notify the Arbitration Administrator, by phone and fax, or personal service, or if time permits, mail of the new date and time.

Summary: If advancement or postponement is granted, the requesting party must immediately notify the Arbitration Administrator of the new date and time by phone, fax, personal service, or mail if time permits.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Contact

Phone to clerk ?

Upon settlement of any case scheduled for an arbitration hearing, counsel for plaintiff shall immediately notify the Arbitration Administrator of such settlement by phone and fax, or personal service, or if time permits, mail.

Summary: Upon settlement of an arbitration case, plaintiff's counsel must immediately notify the Arbitration Administrator by phone, fax, personal service, or mail if time permits.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Except for the initial status date provided in Local Rule 15.07, all court dates and times, including pre-trial and trial dates, shall be obtained from the trial judge or one of the court schedulers at the direction of the trial judge.

Summary: All court dates and times, except the initial status date, must be obtained from the trial judge or court schedulers.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

The evaluator shall immediately advise the Court and counsel for the parties in writing if the report will not be completed by the status date and state the reason for the delay and the expected date of completion.

Summary: Evaluator must immediately advise the Court and counsel in writing if the report will not be completed by the status date, stating the reason for delay and expected completion date.

Machine summary. Not checked yet.INFO?

Contact

Phone to clerk ?

Except for the initial status date provided in Local Rule 15.07, all court dates and times, including pre-trial and trial dates, shall be obtained from the trial judge or one of the court schedulers at the direction of the trial judge.

Summary: All court dates and times must be obtained from the trial judge or a court scheduler, except the initial status date.