All local rules for N.D. Ill., integrated with this judge's published requirements.
Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law: Parties who require an immediate hearing on any emergency matter should contact the courtroom deputy via email at susan_mcclintic@ilnd.uscourts.gov for instructions on presenting the motion before the Court.
Neither a motion nor brief in support of or in opposition to any motion nor objections to a report and recommendation or order of a magistrate judge or special master, shall exceed 15 pages without prior approval of the court. Local Rule 7.1 ↗
Neither a motion nor brief in support of or in opposition to any motion nor objections to a report and recommendation or order of a magistrate judge or special master, shall exceed 15 pages without prior approval of the court. Local Rule 7.1 ↗
Neither a motion nor brief in support of or in opposition to any motion nor objections to a report and recommendation or order of a magistrate judge or special master, shall exceed 15 pages without prior approval of the court. Local Rule 7.1 ↗
(b) A judge may require a motion or an objection to a magistrate judge’s order to be accompanied by a notice of presentment specifying the date and time on which, and judge before whom, the motion or objection is to be presented. The date of presentment shall be not more than 14 days following the date on which the motion or objection is delivered to the court pursuant to LR 78.1. Local Rule 5.3(b) ↗
Except where a judge fixes a different time in accordance with this rule, the original of any motion shall be filed by 4:30 p.m. of the second business day preceding the date of presentment. A judge may fix a time for delivery longer than that provided by this rule, or elect to hear motions less frequently than daily, or both. Local Rule 78.1 ↗
Silent on under_seal_requirements.
The court may set a briefing schedule. Oral argument may be allowed in the court’s discretion. Local Rule 78.3 ↗
Any judge wishing to refer a matter in a civil case pending on that judge’s calendar to a magistrate judge may do so following procedures approved by the Executive Committee. Local Rule 72.1 ↗
Discovery Motions The parties can and should work out most discovery disputes without judicial intervention. The Court will not hear or consider any discovery motion or non-dispositive dispute unless the movant has complied with the “meet and confer” requirement of Local Rule 37.2. This applies not only to motions to compel, but also to motions to quash discovery or for protective orders against discovery. The motion must state with specificity when and how the movant complied with Local Rule 37.2. The exchange of correspondence will not normally be sufficient to comply with Local Rule 37.2. All parties should be fully prepared to argue any discovery motion on the date that it is presented. The Court most often will rule on discovery motions after hearing argument at the motion call and without briefing. If after hearing argument, the Court believes that the motion requires briefing, the Court normally will set an expedited briefing schedule so that the matter can be resolved promptly. If the parties have reached an impasse regarding the discovery of voluminous records from a database, server or other electronic storage facility, before filing a motion to compel, the parties are required to meet and confer with an IT representative of the facility to be searched in order to determine the most effective way to retrieve the requested material. The party seeking the discovery must also bring its IT specialist to this meeting in order to discuss the proper format for the retrieval of the records. Parties are reminded to notify the Court if they are withdrawing any previously filed discovery motions. Parties are reminded that there is no “order” in which discovery must occur, and that one party’s failure or inability to respond to discovery will not excuse any other party’s prompt compliance. Parties are also reminded that the pendency of a motion, such as a motion to dismiss, does not operate as a stay of discovery.
Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law: Trial dates and discovery cutoff dates will not be reset except by written motion. Motions to extend a discovery cutoff date or to reset a trial date, whether uncontested or contested, will normally require a court appearance. Source ↗
COURTESY COPY POLICY: Judge Shah does NOT accept courtesy copies of court filings. Source ↗
Initial Status Reports The Court will usually set all newly filed cases for scheduling with an initial status report. The parties must file a joint written status report, not to exceed five pages in length by the deadline set by the Court. A template for the status report can be found below: Initial Status Report Source ↗
Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law: In addition to the 15-page limit on briefs, Local Rule 7.1, the Court applies the other format requirements of Local Rule 5.2(e) to electronically filed briefs. See Local Rule 5.2(e) for those page-size, font-size, margin, and spacing requirements. Source ↗
Motion Practice and Memoranda of Law: Counsel should check the docket after 4:00 p.m. on the afternoon before the scheduled motion date to see if an appearance is necessary. Unless the court has told a party it need not appear, counsel is expected to be present whether or not the motion is agreed. Source ↗
Judge Shah hears motions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; Civil Case motions are heard at 9:45 a.m., Criminal Case motions are heard at 10:15 a.m. All motions must be noticed for presentment no later than three business days before the hearing. Parties should expect to appear in person unless the court advises otherwise. Any request to appear by telephone must be made to susan_mcclintic@ilnd.uscourts.gov no later than 24 hours prior to the motion hearing. Motions that are agreed or unopposed must include "agreed" or "unopposed" in the title of the motion. Motions must be filed no later than the third business day before the motion is to be heard. The Court will also consider motions at previously scheduled status hearings, so long as the notice requirements have been met. Briefing schedules are generally set by Court order. Trial dates and discovery cutoff dates will not be reset except by written motion. Motions to extend a discovery cutoff date or to reset a trial date, whether uncontested or contested, will normally require a court appearance. Counsel should check the docket after 4:00 p.m. on the afternoon before the scheduled motion date to see if an appearance is necessary. Unless the court has told a party it need not appear, counsel is expected to be present whether or not the motion is agreed. Parties who require an immediate hearing on any emergency matter should contact the courtroom deputy via email at susan_mcclintic@ilnd.uscourts.gov for instructions on presenting the motion before the Court. Documents should be filed in searchable OCR .pdf. Before filing a motion, the movant's counsel must ask opposing counsel whether there is an objection to the motion. If there is an objection, movant must note that fact in the body of the motion. Joint, uncontested, and agreed motions should be so identified in both the title and the body of the motion. Source ↗