Procedures verified June 26, 2026
Judge Manish S. Shah -- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
1919, Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60604
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Check the docket AFTER 4:00 p.m. the day before the motion date. If the court has already ruled, no appearance is needed. Showing up unnecessarily wastes court and client time.
- 2. NO courtesy copies accepted.
- 3. All motions must include a statement as to whether opposing counsel objects. Agreed/unopposed motions must say so in the title.
- 4. LR 56.1 compliance strictly enforced -- not treated as mere technicalities.
- 5. Motions to strike disfavored on summary judgment; raise objections in response/reply.
- 6. Injunctions must be standalone separate documents per Seventh Circuit requirements -- no incorporation by reference to the complaint.
- 7. E-discovery: must meet and confer with IT representatives (not just attorneys) before filing motion to compel.
- 8. Documents must be searchable OCR PDF.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Civil motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 9:45 a.m. Criminal motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 10:15 a.m. Check the docket after 4:00 p.m. the day before the motion date to see whether an appearance is needed. [Judge Shah -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law] |
| Motion Limit | 15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. [Judge Shah -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law] |
| Reply Limit | Not separately specified; follow LR 7.1 default. |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required Judge Shah does NOT accept courtesy copies. |
| Tentative Rulings | Not issued. N.D. Ill. does not use a tentative ruling system. |
| Remote Appearances | No published individual procedures beyond standard docket entries. |
| Discovery | Discovery disputes resolved by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Court most often rules after oral argument without requiring additional briefing. Pendency of a motion does not stay 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 motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 9:45 a.m. Criminal motions: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 10:15 a.m. Check the docket after 4:00 p.m. the day before the motion date to see whether an appearance is needed. [Judge Shah -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law]
Notice Period
3 business days before the scheduled hearing.
Motion Page / Word Limit
15 pages maximum per Local Rule 7.1. [Judge Shah -- Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law]
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). Documents should be filed in searchable OCR PDF.
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
Judge Shah does NOT accept courtesy copies.
Proposed Orders
Email Word format (not WordPerfect) to Proposed_Order_Shah@ilnd.uscourts.gov. Subject line: (1) case number/name; (2) docket number of motion; (3) title of order. Serve on all parties. Do NOT file on CM/ECF docket. Not required for routine motions (extensions) or dispositive motions. [Judge Shah -- 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
Check docket after 4:00 p.m. the day before the motion date. If the court has ruled, no appearance needed. If no ruling, appear at scheduled time.
Remote Appearances
No published individual procedures beyond standard docket entries.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Contact Courtroom Deputy Susan McClintic for scheduling questions. Do not communicate with chambers about case merits by letter, phone, or email.
Discovery Referral
Discovery disputes resolved by this judge. LR 37.2 compliance required. Court most often rules after oral argument without requiring additional briefing. Pendency of a motion does not stay discovery.
Discovery Dispute Procedure Calendar-first
LR 37.2 required. Correspondence alone is insufficient; in-person or telephonic conferral required. E-discovery impasse: must meet and confer with IT representatives before filing motion to compel. Court often rules after argument without additional briefing. [Judge Shah -- 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 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
Calendar-first model (Tu/W/Th) with 3-business-day notice. No courtesy copies. Check docket night before to confirm whether appearance is needed. Injunctions must be standalone documents.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified June 26, 2026.
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