Judge Daniel P. McLaughlin
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Exhibit
- 2 copies • Chambers Drop Off • One Week Before Final Pretrial Conference
Pretrial Order
Settlement Statement
- Email • Upon Filing
Page & Word Limits3 rules
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Absent prior leave of Court, motions in limine (not including exhibits) are limited to a total of 15 pages per party (not per motion), and responses (not including exhibits) are likewise limited to a total of 15 pages per party.
Summary: Motions in limine limited to 15 pages per party (support/opposition) and 15 pages per party (response).
Motion
15 pages
Applies to: Attorney
Opposition
15 pages
Applies to: Attorney
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Settlement statements should be no more than 10 pages each.
Summary: Settlement statements limited to 10 pages each.
Settlement Statement
10 pages
Applies to: Attorney
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Important?
Each side is limited to 10 proposed disputed questions, unless a motion is filed before the pretrial conference that explains good cause for proposing more than the limit.
Summary: Each side limited to 10 disputed voir dire questions unless good cause shown.
Structured details unavailable. See the source text.
Document Format Requirements4 rules
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Important?
The Court does not want the parties to prepare formal presentations about their case. Rather, the parties or their representatives should come to the settlement conference prepared to participate in interactive discussions.
Summary: No formal presentations allowed; interactive discussions required.
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?
The chart’s format shall be substantially similar to the example below (landscape orientation is encouraged).
Summary: Exhibit charts should use landscape orientation.
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?
No. Date Description Relevance Objection 1 02/15/06 2005 Proves record of R. 402 relevant; R. Performance satisfactory job 403 confusion. Review performance Plaintiff fired in 2011.
Summary: Exhibit chart format example showing required columns.
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?
The Court generally will follow a traditional mediation format, in which the Court initially meets with the participants together and then has private meetings with each side.
Summary: Settlement conference follows traditional mediation format with joint and private sessions.
Document Filing Requirements24 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
The report must state whether a settlement conference would be productive and briefly explain if the parties believe it would not.
State whether the parties believe a settlement conference would be productive at this time, and if not, briefly explain why.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Mandatory
The report must state whether ESI discovery is anticipated or underway and, if so, identify agreements and areas of disagreement concerning ESI.
State whether the parties anticipate or are engaged in discovery of ESI in this case, and, if so, what agreements have been reached regarding ESI and whether there are any areas of disagreements regarding ESI.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Important
Under the stated discovery-schedule conditions, the report should provide a fact-discovery completion date; for claims involving medical conditions, fact discovery ordinarily includes treating physician depositions.
A fact discovery completion date. For claims involving medical conditions, fact discovery ordinarily includes treating physician depositions.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Important
In patent cases, the Court applies the Local Patent Rules for Electronically Stored Information.
In a patent case, the Court will apply the Local Patent Rules for Electronically Stored Information.
Requirement
Document requirement
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026Note
The parties should be familiar with the Principles of the Seventh Circuit Electronic Discovery Pilot Program adopted by the Court.
Please note the Court has adopted the Principles of the Seventh Circuit Electronic Discovery Pilot Program and the parties should be familiar with them.
Requirement
Document requirement
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
The Proposed Pretrial Order must be signed (electronically) by counsel for each party.
Summary: Proposed Pretrial Order must be electronically signed by all counsel.
Document Type
Proposed Pretrial Order
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
State the relief sought, including an itemization of damages.
Summary: The report must state the relief sought and itemize damages.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Describe the claims and defenses raised by the pleadings, including the basis for federal jurisdiction.
Summary: The report must describe the pleaded claims and defenses and state the basis for federal jurisdiction.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Describe the matter(s) referred to the magistrate judge.
Summary: The report must describe the matters referred to the magistrate judge.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Identify any existing discovery cut-off dates.
Summary: The report must identify any existing discovery cutoff dates.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
The joint status report shall contain the following information:
Summary: The joint status report must contain the information specified in the standing order.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
State whether all parties will consent to have Judge McLaughlin conduct all further proceedings in this case, including trial and entry of final judgment, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(c) and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 73.
Summary: The report must state whether all parties consent to Judge McLaughlin conducting all further proceedings, including trial and entry of final judgment.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Describe the status of settlement discussions.
Summary: The report must describe the status of settlement discussions.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
In consent cases, state whether a jury trial is requested, the date when the parties expect to be ready for trial, and the probable length of trial.
Summary: In consent cases, the report must state whether a jury trial is requested, the expected trial-readiness date, and the probable trial length.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Indicate the status of any pending motions.
Summary: The report must indicate the status of any pending motions.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
If the parties are successful in reaching an agreement, they will be required to detail the material terms of the settlement at the conclusion of the conference, so that the material terms are binding on the parties.
Summary: Material settlement terms must be detailed and binding at conference conclusion.
Document Type
Settlement Agreement
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Failure to comply with this provision without good cause will result in an order requiring the party in violation to reimburse the opposing party’s attorney fees and costs related to preparing for and appearing at the settlement conference.
Summary: Non-attendance without good cause results in fee/cost sanctions.
Document Type
Settlement Conference
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
All counsel are required to provide the full set of the settlement statements to their clients to read prior to the conference.
Summary: Counsel must provide settlement statements to clients before conference.
Document Type
Settlement Statement
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Mandatory?
Individuals with full and complete settlement authority on behalf of the parties are ordered to personally participate in the entire settlement conference.
Summary: Parties with settlement authority must personally attend entire conference.
Document Type
Settlement Conference
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
A date to issue written discovery requests.
Summary: Under the stated discovery-schedule conditions, the report should provide a date for issuing written discovery requests.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
If no discovery schedule has yet been set and in referral cases, the case has been referred for discovery supervision, the parties should confer and submit the following information:
Summary: When no discovery schedule is set and a referral case is referred for discovery supervision, the parties should confer and submit the specified discovery-schedule information.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
The due date for Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(1) disclosures.
Summary: Under the stated discovery-schedule conditions, the report should provide the due date for Rule 26(a)(1) disclosures.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
If there will be expert discovery, an expert discovery completion date, including dates for the delivery of expert reports and rebuttal reports, if any (or summaries for non-retained expert testimony).
Summary: If expert discovery will occur, the report should provide its completion date and the delivery dates for expert and rebuttal reports, if any, or summaries for non-retained expert testimony.
Document Type
Joint Status Report
Machine summary. Not checked yet.Note?
Defendants that generally prefer a certain format of settlement agreement are encouraged to prepare it ahead of time and provide it to opposing counsel in advance of the settlement conference or, if that is not practicable, bring the draft agreement with them to the conference in the hope that it can be completed if the parties are successful in reaching a settlement.
Summary: Defendants encouraged to prepare draft settlement agreement in advance.
Document Type
Settlement Agreement
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
If Plaintiff files a reply brief, it is due 14 days after Defendant’s brief is filed.
and Plaintiff’s reply brief, if any, is due 14 days after Defendant’s brief is filed.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | B. BRIEFING SCHEDULE
Plaintiff’s opening brief is due within 60 days after the administrative record is filed.
Plaintiff’s brief in support of reversing or remanding the decision subject to review is due within 60 days of the filing of the administrative record;
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | B. BRIEFING SCHEDULE
The Social Security Administration’s responsive brief is due 45 days after Plaintiff’s brief is filed.
the Social Security Administration’s responsive brief is due 45 days after Plaintiff’s brief is filed;
Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 1 | B. BRIEFING SCHEDULE
For a previously remanded case, the parties must file a joint statement with pertinent past case information within 14 days of assignment to Judge McLaughlin.
If the case was previously remanded, the parties shall file a short joint statement within 14 days of assignment to Judge McLaughlin providing pertinent past case information.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases
Page 1 | A. PREVIOUS REMANDS
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Two sets of exhibit binders with objected-to exhibits required one week before final pretrial conference.
No later than one week prior to the final pretrial conference, the parties must submit to chambers 2 sets of exhibit binders containing copies of all objected-to substantive exhibits. Exhibits that will be used for impeachment purposes only need not be included in the binders.
Machine summary. Not checked yet. · Civil cases
Settlement statements must be emailed to court; no courtesy copies accepted.
The Court does not accept courtesy copies. On the same day the parties provide their settlement statements to opposing counsel, the parties are required to submit their statements to the Court by e-mail.
Machine summary. Not checked yet. · Civil cases
Courtesy copies of Proposed Pretrial Order with more than 5 exhibits must include tabs.
If the Proposed Pretrial Order has more than five exhibits, the courtesy copies must include tabs.
Machine summary. Not checked yet. · Civil cases
Page 1 | Pretrial Procedures and Preparation of Final Pretrial Orders for Civil Cases Before Judge McLaughlin
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Daubert motions should be filed separately and as soon as reasonably possible.
Such Daubert motions should be filed separately and as soon as reasonably possible, preferably well in advance of the final pretrial conference and the deadline for motions in limine.
Machine summary. Not checked yet. · Civil cases
Page 2 | Motions in Limine and Daubert Proceedings