Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins

Motions in limine are limited to 25 pages per side absent leave of Court.

Each side is limited to 15 proposed disputed questions, unless a motion is filed before the pretrial conference that explains good cause for proposing more than the limit.

Any exhibit in .pdf format should undergo Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and be text-searchable.

The parties must use the exhibit-naming convention for the Jury Evidence Recording System (JERS); the court will provide the parties with an instruction memorandum on how to use JERS and name exhibits.

To use JERS, both sides must use the following exhibit-naming convention, which also will serve as the file name for the digital file: the exhibit number, followed by an underscore, followed by a neutral description of the exhibit. The convention is thus: <exhibit number> <exhibit description>.<file extension>

Use consecutive numbers to designate exhibits; do not use letters to distinguish exhibits. Also, do not use an “exhibit part,” such as 1A or 2A. Just use consecutive numbers (plus the neutral description).

JERS accepts these common file types: Documents and Photographs: .pdf, .jpg. Video and Audio Recordings: .avi, .wmv, .mpg, .mp3, .wma, .wav

Jury addresses must take place at the podium as well: even if you speak loudly for us to hear you, again the audio-recording system relies on the microphones to record what you say, and the recording is necessary for transcript preparation or to resolve a dispute over what a transcript says.

All witness examinations must be conducted from the podium unless otherwise allowed by the Court. The only alternative site is the end of the jury box, but you must speak loudly enough for the witness, judge, jury, and court reporter to easily hear you, and speak into the microphone at the end of the jury box so that the audio-recording system can record you.

When you object, you must stand so that the Court and the witness are on alert that an objection will be made.

Proposed pretrial orders must be filed electronically using CM/ECF (no need for courtesy copies). To file it, select the appropriate CM/ECF event, “Other Filings” and then “Other Documents,” and choose the Proposed Pretrial Order event. Also email it to Proposed_Order_Jenkins@ilnd.uscourts.gov in Microsoft Word format.

The parties must submit an exhibit list that includes Plaintiff’s exhibits and Defendant’s exhibits using the template uploaded to the court’s webpage.

At least 5 business days before the pre-trial conference, the parties must upload electronic copies all of the proposed exhibits using a box.com link the court will provide upon request.

One last thing: a physical object of course will not be imported into JERS, but you should still assign a consecutively numbered exhibit designation to it, along with a neutral description. Then create a one-page .pdf with the exhibit number and neutral description on it, and submit those exhibits as part of the JERS disc.