Northeastern Illinois COVID-19 Court Postponements

State and Federal courts in Northern Illinois have curtailed most operations, and postponed pending civil hearings and trials in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some courts have begun to resume operations via in-person, telephone and/or video conference remote hearings. However, the State's most populous county and largest consolidated court system in the country, Cook County, will remain mostly shuttered until at least July 6, 2020.

Below is a running list of civil case statuses, as of May 28, 2020. For more specific information, please refer to the court's own websites.

Federal Courts:

U.S. District – Northern District of Illinois (Chicago, Rockford):

• All Civil Cases Were Postponed – March 17 – May 29, 2020
  • Hearings, trials and settlement conferences may now be scheduled and conducted by the presiding judge by remote means. In-court hearings are limited to urgent matters that cannot be conducted remotely.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court – Northern District of Illinois (Chicago, Rockford, Outlying Counties)

• Hearings will continue by telephone during the weeks in which they were previously scheduled, pursuant to a modified schedule
  • Refer to Court's website for modified hearing schedule

U.S. District Court – Central District of Illinois (Peoria, Rock Island, Springfield, Urbana)

• All civil hearings, including settlement conferences will continue, and shall be conducted by telephone or video conference

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

• All oral arguments scheduled through August 31, 2020, will be argued telephonically or via Zoom video
• Paper copy requirements for all electronically filed briefs, appendices and petitions for rehearing required by F.R.A.P. 30(a)(3), C.R. 31(b) and C.R. 40(b) have been suspended

State Courts in Northeastern Illinois:

Illinois Supreme Court:

• The Illinois Supreme Court continues to operate generally, but has suspended the requirement that parties submit paper copies of e-filed documents.
• The deadline for filing a petition for leave to appeal from an appellate court judgment, denial of a petition for rehearing, entry of judgment on rehearing, issuance of an opinion after granting a motion to publish, or order denying a motion to publish due on or after March 24, 2020, is extended from 35 to 70 days.
• The deadline to file a petition for rehearing due on or after March 24, 2020, is extended by 21 days, for a total of 42 days.

Illinois Appellate Courts

• The Illinois Appellate Courts continue to operate generally, albeit without oral argument
  • Individual Districts have issued separate orders regarding rescheduling oral argument and paper brief requirements
• The deadline for filing any notice of appeal from a circuit court judgment due on or after March 24, 2020, is extended from 30 to 60 days. 
• The deadline to file appellant and appellee briefs due on or after March 24, 2020, is extended by 35 days, for a total of 70 days.
• The deadline to file a petition for rehearing due on or after March 24, 2020, is extended by 21 days, for a total of 42 days.

Cook County

• All Civil Cases Postponed (except emergencies) – March 17 – July 6, 2020
  • All matters in all Districts and Divisions are rescheduled and continued for a period of 30 days from the originally scheduled court date or a date not more than 30 days after July 6, 2020, whichever is later, unless the 30th day falls on a weekend, in which case it will be continued until the following business day.
  • Discovery in civil matters will continue as scheduled, except oral depositions.
  • Divisions and Districts have issued their own specific
  • Individual Judges may enter their own orders.

Lake County

• All Civil Cases Were Postponed through May 29, 2020
• After June 1, 2020, all civil proceedings, with limited exceptions, will be held remotely via Zoom
  • Including status hearings, Rule 218 conferences, motion presentments, bench trials, arbitration hearings, and pre-trial conferences;
  • Routine Matters, such as Appointment of a Special Process Server, can be handled by email;
  • Discovery in civil matters will continue as scheduled.

McHenry County

• All Civil Cases Were Postponed until at least May 29, 2020
• After June 1, 2020, in-person civil proceedings will resume with limited court capacities and amended schedules

DuPage County

• All Civil Cases Were Postponed through May 15, 2020
• Beginning May 18, 2020, civil matters will remain as currently scheduled and proceedings will be conducted remotely using telephone and video conferencing technology, including the Zoom platform
  • Parties may submit agreed orders in advance, or must request a remote hearing at least seven (7) days in advance of the scheduling hearing.
• Cases originally scheduled between March 17 and May 15, 2020, will be continued for a period of between 30-60 days from the originally scheduled court date. The Circuit Court Clerk will notify via mail all interested parties of a future court date.

Kane County

• All Civil Cases Were Postponed through May 29, 2020
• All Kane County Courtrooms are scheduled to reopen on June 1, 2020

Will County

• All Civil Cases were Postponed through May 29, 2020
• Effective June 1, 2020, all Courthouses will be open during normal business hours
  • Each Judge will decide which matters will be heard in person, by telephone or video conference.
  • No in-person mandatory arbitrations shall be held.

City of Chicago Administrative Hearings:

• All Cases Postponed until further notice
  • Cases will be reset 60 days out and orders will be sent to parties