Procedures verified June 28, 2026
Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes -- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
1342, Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60604
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Do NOT notice motions before Judge Fuentes. The Court sets all hearing dates, briefing schedules, or decides on the papers after filing. Noticing a motion may result in the notice being disregarded.
- 2. All electronically filed documents (except exhibits) MUST be generated by printing to PDF from the original word processing file -- scanned PDFs may only be used for appendix or reference materials not available otherwise.
- 3. Social Security briefs are capped at 15 pages -- the shortest limit in the courthouse. Leave of Court required for anything longer.
- 4. The Final Pretrial Order form used by Judge Fuentes VARIES from Local Rule 16.1 -- always obtain and use Judge Fuentes' Standing Order for consent cases rather than relying on the district form.
- 5. Proposed orders may only be submitted AFTER the corresponding motion has been filed -- not before, unless the Court grants prior leave.
- 6. Professional conduct is actively monitored. Judge Fuentes explicitly calls attention to the Seventh Circuit Standards for Professional Conduct and Illinois Rules 3.1-3.5 and 8.4.
- 7. In-person joint initial status report typically required within one week before the first status hearing (unless a recent one is on file).
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Parties must refrain from noticing motions before Judge Fuentes. After a motion is filed, the Court will either: (1) select a date and time for a hearing, usually on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning; (2) set a briefing schedule; or (3) decide the motion based on the filed papers alone. [Judge Fuentes -- Standing Order For Civil Cases] |
| Motion Limit | 15 pages per Local Rule 7.1 (district default). No individual judge modification for general civil motions. [Judge Fuentes -- Social Security Cases] |
| Reply Limit | Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default. |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required Courtesy copies are not required at this time. All electronically filed documents should be made word-searchable before being filed on the... |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. Court rules on papers. |
| Remote Appearances | No published individual procedures beyond standard docket entries. |
| Discovery | Consent cases: discovery handled by Judge Fuentes. Referral cases: per the referring district judge's standing orders. LR 37.2 compliance required. Parties are encouraged to resolve most discovery disputes without court intervention. |
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
Parties must refrain from noticing motions before Judge Fuentes. After a motion is filed, the Court will either: (1) select a date and time for a hearing, usually on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning; (2) set a briefing schedule; or (3) decide the motion based on the filed papers alone. [Judge Fuentes -- Standing Order For Civil Cases]
Notice Period
Not applicable. Parties must NOT notice motions. Court sets the schedule after filing.
Motion Page / Word Limit
15 pages per Local Rule 7.1 (district default). No individual judge modification for general civil motions. [Judge Fuentes -- Social Security Cases]
Opposition Limit
15 pages per Local Rule 7.1 (district default).
Reply Limit
Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default.
Font & Formatting
Per LR 5.2(e). All electronically filed documents (except exhibits) must be generated by printing to PDF from the original word processing file so that the text is word-searchable. PDF images created by scanning paper documents may be used only for appendix or reference materials not available in PDF format. [Judge Fuentes -- Standing Order For Civil Cases]
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
Courtesy copies are not required at this time. All electronically filed documents should be made word-searchable before being filed on the CM/ECF system.
Proposed Orders
Email Word format to Proposed_Order_Fuentes@ilnd.uscourts.gov after the corresponding motion has been filed. Subject line must include: case number and name, docket number of corresponding motion (if any), and title of proposed order. Copy all parties on the email. Submitting a proposed order is not a substitute for filing a motion; a proposed order may only be submitted after the corresponding motion has been filed unless the Court has given prior leave. [Judge Fuentes -- Submitting a Proposed Order]
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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 will determine whether to set a hearing, set a briefing schedule, or decide on the papers. See Standing Order for Civil Cases for details.
Remote Appearances
No published individual procedures beyond standard docket entries.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
For case-related matters or procedural issues, email the courtroom deputy with a copy to opposing counsel. Substantive issues must be raised by motion, not email. Courtroom Deputy Jannette Nunez: Jannette_Nunez@ilnd.uscourts.gov.
Discovery Referral
Consent cases: discovery handled by Judge Fuentes. Referral cases: per the referring district judge's standing orders. LR 37.2 compliance required. Parties are encouraged to resolve most discovery disputes without court intervention.
Discovery Dispute Procedure No-presentment
LR 37.2 compliance required. Good faith meet and confer required. See Judge Fuentes' Standing Order for Civil Cases for motion practice requirements. All electronically filed documents (except exhibits) must be word-searchable before filing on CM/ECF. [Judge Fuentes -- Standing Order For Civil Cases]
Ex Parte Applications
Not separately specified. Follow General Order procedures.
Settlement Notification
Standing Order for Settlement Conferences available at court website. Counsel and clients must read and follow the Standing Order prior to any settlement conference. [Judge Fuentes -- Settlement Conferences]
Lead Counsel
Lead trial counsel, or attorney with substantial familiarity and responsibility for the case, should appear at initial status hearing if set by the Court.
Under Seal Filings
Not separately specified; follow Local Rules.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Not separately specified beyond standard local rules.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
No-presentment model -- Court controls all scheduling after filing. No courtesy copies. All filed documents must be word-searchable PDFs. Social Security page limit is 15 pages (stricter than most ILND magistrates). Standing Order for Civil Cases governs most procedures -- read it before appearing. Separate Standing Order for Criminal Trials available.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 28, 2026.
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