Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge April M. Perry -- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
1725, Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60604
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. UNIQUE: Summary judgment requires a JOINT statement of undisputed material facts -- not the standard LR 56.1 separate movant/respondent format.
- 2. Amended complaints: must file a redline showing all changes as an attachment. Failure to include redline is a trap.
- 3. Notices of motion must be filed as a SEPARATE docket entry -- do NOT attach as an exhibit to the motion.
- 4. Motion to dismiss: nonmoving party has 21 days to amend as of right. If they don't amend, response is due 21 days from the motion filing date (not the end of the amendment period).
- 5. E-discovery disputes: must meet and confer with IT representatives before filing any motion to compel.
- 6. All case-related communications to the court must go through James_Capparelli@ilnd.uscourts.gov and must copy all parties.
- 7. Schedule A (counterfeit product) cases: plaintiff must file Schedule A Template within 14 days of case assignment.
- 8. Trial dates and discovery cutoffs are not reset except by written motion, which normally requires a court appearance.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Civil motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Criminal motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Notices of motion must be filed separately on the docket -- do NOT attach as exhibit to the motion. [Judge Perry -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law] |
| Motion Limit | 15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. [Judge Perry -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law] |
| Reply Limit | 10 pages maximum. |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required Generally not accepted. Do not prepare or deliver courtesy copies. Court will contact counsel if copies are needed. If specifically... |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. N.D. Ill. does not use a tentative ruling system. |
| Remote Appearances | Telephone appearance requests: 48 hours advance notice to James_Capparelli@ilnd.uscourts.gov; copy opposing counsel on the email. |
| Discovery | Discovery disputes resolved by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Court often rules after argument without additional briefing. |
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 motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Criminal motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Notices of motion must be filed separately on the docket -- do NOT attach as exhibit to the motion. [Judge Perry -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law]
Notice Period
At least 3 business days before the hearing.
Motion Page / Word Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. [Judge Perry -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law]
Opposition Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1.
Reply Limit
10 pages maximum.
Font & Formatting
Per LR 5.2(e) (font, margin, and spacing requirements for electronically filed briefs).
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
Generally not accepted. Do not prepare or deliver courtesy copies. Court will contact counsel if copies are needed. If specifically requested: deliver to drop-box outside Courtroom Deputy's office; print from ECF (with ECF header); double-sided where possible; spiral-bound if 50 or more pages; exhibits tabbed.
Proposed Orders
Email Word format (not PDF) to Proposed_Order_Perry@ilnd.uscourts.gov. Subject line: (1) case name; (2) case number; (3) docket number of motion; (4) title of order. Copy opposing counsel on the email. Do NOT file on CM/ECF docket. Not required for routine motions or dispositive motions. [Judge Perry -- Proposed Orders]
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Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
Not issued. N.D. Ill. does not use a tentative ruling system.
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
N/A.
Oral Argument
Papers only by default. Court has discretion to schedule argument.
Remote Appearances
Telephone appearance requests: 48 hours advance notice to James_Capparelli@ilnd.uscourts.gov; copy opposing counsel on the email.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
All questions about cases or practices: email James_Capparelli@ilnd.uscourts.gov only. All parties must be copied on case-related emails. Do not contact chambers by other means.
Discovery Referral
Discovery disputes resolved by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Court often rules after argument without additional briefing.
Discovery Dispute Procedure Calendar-first
LR 37.2 required; correspondence without in-person or telephonic discussion normally insufficient. Joint motion not to exceed 5 pages, with each party's position and proposed compromise per issue. If specific discovery requests are at issue, reproduce the question/request and response in their entirety and attach as an exhibit. E-discovery: must meet and confer with IT representative before filing motion to compel. Court often rules after argument without additional briefing. [Judge Perry -- Discovery Motions]
Ex Parte Applications
Not separately specified. Follow General Order procedures.
Settlement Notification
No published individual procedures.
Lead Counsel
Not specified.
Under Seal Filings
Not separately specified; follow Local Rules.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Trial dates and discovery cutoff dates are not reset except by written motion. Motions to reset normally require a court appearance.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
Traditional calendar-first model (Tu/W/Th 10:00 a.m.) with 3-business-day notice. Unique joint SOF requirement for summary judgment. All communications through Courtroom Deputy James Capparelli.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
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