Knowledgebase

The Illinois Supreme Court Rules 301-383 govern civil appeals.  A copy of the Rules may be found in the Cook County Law Library located on the 29th floor of the Richard J. Daley Center.  The Rules are also available online at www.state.il.us/Court/SupremeCourt/Rules. 

A Notice of Appeal may be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court within 30 days of the date of the order being appealed. The customer can efile it or file it files the Notice of Appeal in the Civil Appeals Division, located in Room 801 of the Richard J. Daley Center. Civil Appeals will retain the original and two copies one copy of the Notice of Appeal. It is the customer's responsibility to bring adequate additional copies for their own records.

Pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 303 (d), late Notices of Appeal (filed more than 30 days from the date of the order being appealed) must be electronically filed to the Clerk of the Illinois Appellate Court signed and attached to a Motion for Leave to File a Late Notice of Appeal.  The Illinois Appellate Court will rule on the motion.  If the motion is granted, the Appellate Court will transmit that order and the Late Notice of Appeal to the Civil Appeals Division for filing.

Please contact the Illinois Appellate Court Clerk's Office at (312)793-5484 for further information pertaining to their motion practice.

The Supreme Court Rules set out the various types of appeals and how they should be filed.  It is the customer's responsibility to file a Notice of Appeal in conformance with those Rules.

If the party seeking an appeal is acting on his/her own behalf (pro se) before the reviewing court, the party is expected to have the necessary knowledge of the law and applicable rules of procedure as if he/she were an attorney.  The staff of the Civil Appeals Division cannot give legal advice or assist customers in filling out forms or selecting which type of appeal should be filed.