Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Charles P. Kocoras (Senior Judge) -- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
1801, Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60604
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. CRITICAL OUTLIER: Judge Kocoras is one of only a handful of IL-ND judges who still operates with a traditional active motion call. ALL motions, stipulated or not, MUST be noticed for hearing. Do not simply file without noticing.
- 2. Motion call is TUESDAY at 9:50 a.m. 3 working days notice required per Local Rule 78.1.
- 3. ALL civil hearings are held via telephone conference unless otherwise specified. Do not assume in-person unless told otherwise.
- 4. No courtesy copies unless specifically requested by the Court.
- 5. LR 56.1 statement of facts is NOT a substitute for the statement of facts section in the supporting brief. A brief that only incorporates the LR 56.1 statement may be STRICKEN.
- 6. SJ exhibits must include a table of contents.
- 7. Settlement after trial date set: must immediately inform Courtroom Deputy or face jury cost assessment under Local Rule 54.2.
- 8. 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.
- 9. Preferred contact method for Courtroom Deputy: EMAIL (amanda_scherer@ilnd.uscourts.gov), not phone.
- 10. All documents should be word-searchable before filing. Convert to PDF by publishing, not by scanning.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | CRITICAL OUTLIER: Traditional motion call remains active. ALL motions, stipulated or not, must be noticed for hearing. Motion call: TUESDAY at 9:50 a.m. Status call: Tuesday at 9:50 a.m. Pretrial conferences: Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. Trial: Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. -- 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. -- 5:00 p.m. ALL civil hearings will be held via telephone conference unless otherwise specified. [Judge Kocoras -- Motion Practice] |
| Motion Limit | 15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. Bankruptcy appeal briefs: 15 pages each, due within 15 days of Bankruptcy Court judgment. [Judge Kocoras -- Motion Practice] |
| Reply Limit | Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default. |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required Courtesy copies are not required unless specifically requested by the Court. The BEST way to contact the Courtroom Deputy is by email at... |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. Court rules on papers. |
| Remote Appearances | ALL civil hearings are held via telephone conference unless otherwise specified. Best way to contact the Courtroom Deputy is by email at amanda_scherer@ilnd.uscourts.gov. [Judge Kocoras -- Motion Practice] |
| Discovery | Discovery disputes handled by this judge. LR 37.2 meet-and-confer required. In any motion for discovery or production of documents, movant must state when and how movant complied with LR 37.2. Court encourages the parties to work out discovery disputes and discourages filing of discovery motions. |
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.
mail Subscribe to Judge Kocoras procedures email updates
Primary sources. No fluff. Straight to your inbox.
chevron_right
Before You File
Motion Days & Times
CRITICAL OUTLIER: Traditional motion call remains active. ALL motions, stipulated or not, must be noticed for hearing. Motion call: TUESDAY at 9:50 a.m. Status call: Tuesday at 9:50 a.m. Pretrial conferences: Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. Trial: Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. -- 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. -- 5:00 p.m. ALL civil hearings will be held via telephone conference unless otherwise specified. [Judge Kocoras -- Motion Practice]
Notice Period
3 working days prior to the date of the hearing, per Local Rule 78.1.
Motion Page / Word Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. Bankruptcy appeal briefs: 15 pages each, due within 15 days of Bankruptcy Court judgment. [Judge Kocoras -- Motion Practice]
Opposition Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1.
Reply Limit
Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default.
Font & Formatting
Per LR 5.2(e). All electronically filed documents should be word-searchable before filing. Convert word-processed documents to PDF by printing/publishing to PDF, not by scanning (scanning does not generate searchable OCR text).
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
chevron_right
At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
Courtesy copies are not required unless specifically requested by the Court. The BEST way to contact the Courtroom Deputy is by email at amanda_scherer@ilnd.uscourts.gov.
Proposed Orders
Email Microsoft Word format to Proposed_Order_Kocoras@ilnd.uscourts.gov. Subject line must include case number and name, docket number of corresponding motion (if any), and title of the order proposed. Serve on all parties. Submitting a proposed order electronically 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 already given leave to submit an order without a corresponding motion. [Judge Kocoras -- Submitting a Proposed Order, Agreed or Otherwise, for Electronic Entry by the Judge]
chevron_right
Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
Not issued. Court rules on papers.
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
N/A.
Oral Argument
All civil hearings by telephone conference unless otherwise specified. All motions must be noticed for Tuesday at 9:50 a.m. and presented at motion call.
Remote Appearances
ALL civil hearings are held via telephone conference unless otherwise specified. Best way to contact the Courtroom Deputy is by email at amanda_scherer@ilnd.uscourts.gov. [Judge Kocoras -- Motion Practice]
chevron_right
Background Rules
Chambers Contact
BEST way to contact Courtroom Deputy: email Amanda Scherer at amanda_scherer@ilnd.uscourts.gov.
Discovery Referral
Discovery disputes handled by this judge. LR 37.2 meet-and-confer required. In any motion for discovery or production of documents, movant must state when and how movant complied with LR 37.2. Court encourages the parties to work out discovery disputes and discourages filing of discovery motions.
Discovery Dispute Procedure Calendar-first
LR 37.2 required. Must state when and how compliance occurred. Motion must be noticed for hearing on Tuesday motion call. Court discourages discovery motions and encourages parties to resolve disputes.
Ex Parte Applications
Not separately specified. Follow General Order procedures.
Settlement Notification
May hold scheduling and settlement conferences after initial status conference. If a case is settled, counsel must immediately inform the Courtroom Deputy. Failure to inform of settlement will result in assessment of jury costs against all parties (per Local Rule 54.2).
Lead Counsel
Not specified.
Under Seal Filings
Not separately specified; follow Local Rules.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Trial dates are firm. Any motion to reset a trial date shall be made at the earliest possible time.
chevron_right
AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
CRITICAL OUTLIER (Senior Judge): Traditional Tuesday 9:50 a.m. motion call is active. ALL motions must be noticed for hearing (3 working days notice, LR 78.1). ALL civil hearings by telephone conference unless otherwise specified. No courtesy copies unless requested. LR 56.1 SOUF does not substitute for brief's statement of facts section -- standalone incorporation may be stricken. Settlement after trial set: notify Courtroom Deputy immediately.
Sources & Currency
verified
Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
Verify now →