Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman -- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
1241
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. AI-DRAFTED BRIEFS PROHIBITED: Parties may not use Artificial Intelligence to draft memoranda or as authority to support motions. This is an absolute prohibition, not a disclosure requirement.
- 2. ALL motions must be noticed for presentment -- no exceptions. This includes agreed, joint, and unopposed motions, attorney withdrawals, and motions to modify or continue. Presentment date proceeds unless Court enters a minute entry ordering otherwise.
- 3. In-person appearances required for all motions as of January 1, 2023. Telephonic appearances are disfavored and require advance email request to courtroom deputy at least one full business day prior.
- 4. Courtesy copies required for ANY filing (including sentencing memoranda) over 15 pages including exhibits -- deliver to Room 1238 within 24 hours of filing. Also required for all substantive/dispositive motions and their response/reply briefs.
- 5. MIDP NOT APPLICABLE: Judge Coleman opted out of the Mandatory Initial Discovery Pilot Project as of December 2, 2019.
- 6. Extensions of time and requests to reset hearings must be filed as noticed motions -- not by phone or email.
- 7. SJ motions must be filed within 60 days of close of discovery. Untimely motions will not be considered.
- 8. Briefing schedule default: 28 days for response, 14 days for reply (unless Court approves alternative agreed schedule).
- 9. Defendants must appear for all supervised release modification hearings, whether agreed or not, unless otherwise ordered.
- 10. Illinois cases must be cited to both Illinois Appellate Court Reports and N.E.2d.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Civil and criminal motions: Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Court is available to hear motions any day during the work week -- for days/times outside Tuesday/Wednesday, contact courtroom deputy to confirm availability. ALL motions (including joint, agreed, unopposed, attorney withdrawals, motions to modify or continue) MUST be noticed for presentment and will proceed in-person unless otherwise ordered. Presentment date proceeds unless Court enters a minute entry order stating no appearance is necessary. [Judge Coleman -- Discovery Motion Practice] |
| Motion Limit | 15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. Strictly enforced. Motion for leave to exceed will not be granted unless warranted. [Judge Coleman -- Discovery Motion Practice] |
| Reply Limit | Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default. Briefing schedule: standard = 28 days for response, 14 days for reply, unless Court approves alternative agreed schedule. |
| Chambers Copies | ✓ Required Courtesy copies REQUIRED for all documents (including sentencing memoranda) that are over fifteen (15) pages in length, including all... [Judge Coleman -- Courtesy Copies] |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. Court rules on papers. |
| Remote Appearances | Beginning January 1, 2023, all hearings presumptively require in-person attendance. Telephonic appearances disfavored but considered for routine hearings not requiring substantive argument where counsel is genuinely unable to appear. Geographic inconvenience (e.g., Chicago suburbs) does not justify telephonic hearing. Cases pending more than 2 years and cases set for initial status must appear in person. Under no circumstances will Court proceed when neither party is present in open court. Request by email to courtroom deputy no later than one full business day prior -- include case name/number, date/time, attorney name, party represented, direct phone number, explanation, and whether local counsel will appear. Courtesy notice to all parties required. |
| Discovery | Discovery disputes handled by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Face-to-face or telephone conferral required; correspondence normally not sufficient. E-discovery impasse: in-person meet and confer with IT representatives of ESF required before filing. Pendency of a motion does not operate as a stay of discovery. |
Procedural Briefing by Motion Type
C.D. Cal. · Standing Orders
Procedural Requirements
Key Traps
Compare to Other C.D. Cal. Judges
Procedural facts only. Judges shown to illustrate variance in this district.
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Before You File
Motion Days & Times
Civil and criminal motions: Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Court is available to hear motions any day during the work week -- for days/times outside Tuesday/Wednesday, contact courtroom deputy to confirm availability. ALL motions (including joint, agreed, unopposed, attorney withdrawals, motions to modify or continue) MUST be noticed for presentment and will proceed in-person unless otherwise ordered. Presentment date proceeds unless Court enters a minute entry order stating no appearance is necessary. [Judge Coleman -- Discovery Motion Practice]
Notice Period
At least 3 business days from the date of filing. The day of filing is not counted as a full business day.
Motion Page / Word Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. Strictly enforced. Motion for leave to exceed will not be granted unless warranted. [Judge Coleman -- Discovery Motion Practice]
Opposition Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. Strictly enforced.
Reply Limit
Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default. Briefing schedule: standard = 28 days for response, 14 days for reply, unless Court approves alternative agreed schedule.
Font & Formatting
Per LR 5.2(e). Parties must attach copies of cited authority available only on electronic databases (Westlaw/Lexis) or unpublished in West National Reporter System. Illinois cases should be cited to both Illinois Appellate Court Reports and N.E.2d.
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✓ Required
Courtesy copies REQUIRED for all documents (including sentencing memoranda) that are over fifteen (15) pages in length, including all exhibits. Deliver to Courtroom Deputy Yvette Montanez in Room 1238 within 24 hours of filing. Confirmation of receipt will not be available. Courtesy copies need not be delivered in an envelope unless they contain materials under seal. Also required: courtesy copies of substantive and/or dispositive motions, including all memorandums, briefs, and all response and reply briefs filed in connection with such motions. [Judge Coleman -- Courtesy Copies]
Proposed Orders
Do not file proposed orders in ECF. Submit in Microsoft Word format to Proposed_Order_Coleman@ilnd.uscourts.gov. Subject line must include case number and name, docket number of corresponding motion, and title of the order. Serve on all parties. Court will not entertain proposed orders not corresponding to a pending motion unless submitted with prior leave. Proposed order inbox may only be used for proposed order submissions -- not for communications or filing motions. [Judge Coleman -- Proposed Orders for Electronic Entry]
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Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
Not issued. Court rules on papers.
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
N/A.
Oral Argument
Court does not allow oral arguments on substantive motions as a matter of course. In cases involving limited issues, parties can agree to brief argument in lieu of written briefing with prior notice to courtroom deputy. Pro se litigants will always be permitted to argue on substantive motions following close of briefing. Otherwise Court will inform parties of its need for oral argument after close of briefing. Court will consider scheduling oral arguments if a party requests and commits to entrust argument to an attorney out of law school fewer than 6 years.
Remote Appearances
Beginning January 1, 2023, all hearings presumptively require in-person attendance. Telephonic appearances disfavored but considered for routine hearings not requiring substantive argument where counsel is genuinely unable to appear. Geographic inconvenience (e.g., Chicago suburbs) does not justify telephonic hearing. Cases pending more than 2 years and cases set for initial status must appear in person. Under no circumstances will Court proceed when neither party is present in open court. Request by email to courtroom deputy no later than one full business day prior -- include case name/number, date/time, attorney name, party represented, direct phone number, explanation, and whether local counsel will appear. Courtesy notice to all parties required.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
No communication by letter unless directed by Court. All communications must be in the form of a motion, brief, or status report, properly noticed and served on opposing counsel. Extensions/resets must be by motion noticed for presentment -- not by phone or email. To bring an outstanding motion to Judge Coleman's attention: contact Courtroom Deputy Yvette Montanez at 312-408-5159 or yvette_montanez@ilnd.uscourts.gov.
Discovery Referral
Discovery disputes handled by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Face-to-face or telephone conferral required; correspondence normally not sufficient. E-discovery impasse: in-person meet and confer with IT representatives of ESF required before filing. Pendency of a motion does not operate as a stay of discovery.
Discovery Dispute Procedure Presentment
LR 37.2 required. Motion must state with specificity when and how movant complied. Good faith effort and face-to-face or telephone conferral required (correspondence normally insufficient). E-discovery impasse: in-person meet and confer with IT representatives before filing motion to compel; party seeking discovery must also bring its IT specialist. Court most often rules on discovery motions after argument at motion call without briefing. Parties must immediately notify court if withdrawing any previously filed discovery motions. Deposition disputes: contact Courtroom Deputy who will arrange conference call with judge or magistrate judge.
Ex Parte Applications
Requests for extensions of time or to reset a scheduled hearing must be filed as a motion on the case docket and noticed for presentment. Court will not allow requests by phone or email.
Settlement Notification
Parties desiring a settlement conference: request in open court or by telephone from courtroom deputy. In bench trials, settlement conferences usually referred to magistrate judge. Pre-conference: submit joint or individual statement to Courtroom Deputy (Room 1238) briefly describing status and settlement potential, including any offers or demands made. Persons with settlement authority must be present in-person or available by phone.
Lead Counsel
Lead trial counsel fully prepared and with authority to discuss all aspects of the case must attend Final Pretrial Conference.
Under Seal Filings
Courtesy copies for sealed materials need not be delivered in an envelope unless required by the nature of the content.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Motions to extend a discovery cutoff date or to reset a trial date, whether contested or uncontested, must be in writing and will require a court appearance. Extensions must be filed as a motion noticed for presentment -- not by phone or email.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
PROHIBITION: Parties may NOT use Artificial Intelligence to draft memoranda or as authority to support motions.
Additional Notes
Strong in-person presentment culture -- every motion including agreed and unopposed ones must be noticed and will proceed in-person absent a specific Court order. AI-drafted briefs categorically prohibited (not a disclosure requirement -- a ban). Opted out of MIDP in 2019. Courtesy copies triggered at 15 pages (lower threshold than many judges) and also required for all substantive/dispositive motions and their briefs regardless of length.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
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