Procedures verified June 28, 2026
Judge Margaret J. Schneider -- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Western Division, Rockford)
5300, Stanley J. Roszkowski United States Courthouse, 327 S. Church St., Rockford, IL 61101 (Western Division)
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Western Division judge -- courthouse is in Rockford, IL, not Chicago. All in-person appearances are in Rockford.
- 2. Do NOT notice motions for presentment -- Court sets all hearing dates. Three-day notice requirement only waived for emergencies.
- 3. LR 37.2 meet-and-confer extends to ALL motions -- not just discovery. Mere correspondence is insufficient.
- 4. Court may decide discovery motions after oral argument without briefing -- be prepared to argue fully on the presentment date.
- 5. LR 56.1 strictly enforced: 80-fact-statement cap for movant, 40-fact-statement cap for respondent. Motions to strike not accepted -- raise in briefs.
- 6. Summary judgment courtesy copies must be mailed (not delivered) to chambers within 24 hours of CM/ECF filing.
- 7. Emergency motions: notify Jillian Person at Jillian_Person@ilnd.uscourts.gov BEFORE filing.
- 8. Extension motions must include statement that movant sought agreement from other side and specify result; must identify current deadline.
- 9. In referral cases, use the District Court Judge's Final Pretrial Order form -- not Judge Schneider's form.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | No notice of presentment required. Parties are not to notice motions for presentment. The Court will notify parties of the need, if any, for a hearing by electronic means. Court will dispense with three-day notice requirement only in connection with emergency motions. [Judge Schneider -- Motion Practice] |
| Motion Limit | 15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. [Judge Schneider -- Motion Practice] |
| Reply Limit | Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default. |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required No general courtesy copy requirement. For summary judgment, courtesy copies of memorandum and supporting materials must be mailed to... |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. Court rules on papers. |
| Remote Appearances | Parties are encouraged to review Best Practices for Remote Participation in Telephone/Videoconference Court Proceedings on the Court's main webpage under the Attorney tab under Courtroom Technology. |
| Discovery | Discovery disputes resolved by Judge Schneider in referral and consent cases. LR 37.2 required. Court will not hear any discovery motion unless parties have complied with LR 37.2. Any discovery motion must state with specificity when and how movant complied with LR 37.2. Compliance requires good faith effort face to face or by telephone -- mere exchange of correspondence will not normally be sufficient. |
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
No notice of presentment required. Parties are not to notice motions for presentment. The Court will notify parties of the need, if any, for a hearing by electronic means. Court will dispense with three-day notice requirement only in connection with emergency motions. [Judge Schneider -- Motion Practice]
Notice Period
Three business days before the motion date (waived only for emergencies).
Motion Page / Word Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. [Judge Schneider -- 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).
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
No general courtesy copy requirement. For summary judgment, courtesy copies of memorandum and supporting materials must be mailed to chambers within 24 hours of CM/ECF filing -- securely bound, separately tabbed, indexed, with CM/ECF header.
Proposed Orders
Email Word format to Proposed_Order_Schneider@ilnd.uscourts.gov. Subject line must include: case number and name, docket number of corresponding motion (if any), and title of proposed order. All documents in Word-compatible format. Proposed orders should be served 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 Court has given prior leave. [Judge Schneider -- 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 notifies parties by electronic means. Court may decide discovery motions after oral argument without briefing.
Remote Appearances
Parties are encouraged to review Best Practices for Remote Participation in Telephone/Videoconference Court Proceedings on the Court's main webpage under the Attorney tab under Courtroom Technology.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Contact Operations Specialist Jillian Person at Jillian_Person@ilnd.uscourts.gov / (779) 772-8338 for scheduling matters.
Discovery Referral
Discovery disputes resolved by Judge Schneider in referral and consent cases. LR 37.2 required. Court will not hear any discovery motion unless parties have complied with LR 37.2. Any discovery motion must state with specificity when and how movant complied with LR 37.2. Compliance requires good faith effort face to face or by telephone -- mere exchange of correspondence will not normally be sufficient.
Discovery Dispute Procedure Submission-first
LR 37.2 required. All parties must be fully prepared to orally argue any discovery motion on the date it is presented. Court may decide discovery motions after oral argument at the motion call and without briefing. If Court believes motion requires briefing, will set expedited briefing schedule. [Judge Schneider -- Motion Practice]
Ex Parte Applications
Not separately specified. Follow General Order procedures.
Settlement Notification
Court has prepared a Standing Order for settlement conference procedures available from court website or operations specialist. Counsel and clients must read and follow the Standing Order prior to any settlement conference. [Judge Schneider -- Settlement Conferences]
Lead Counsel
Lead trial counsel for each party, or attorney with substantial familiarity with and responsibility for the case, shall appear at initial status conference prepared to discuss all aspects of the case.
Under Seal Filings
No document may be filed under seal unless counsel secures a court order allowing filing under seal. See Local Rule 5.8. Proposed confidentiality order must include carefully-drafted definition of materials to be protected with explanation of why confidentiality is necessary.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
No motion for extension of time will be entertained unless movant includes: (1) statement that movant has sought other side's agreement, and (2) specification of the result. Motion must prominently identify current deadline, state reason for extension, and number of previous extensions.
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AI & Style Preferences
AI Disclosure Requirement
Not specified.
Additional Notes
Submission-first model -- no notice of presentment; Court sets all hearings. Western Division (Rockford). LR 37.2 extends to all motions. Court may rule on discovery motions from oral argument without briefing. Magistrate judge who encourages consent jurisdiction and can handle firm trial dates.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 28, 2026.
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