The United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and is following all recommended guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health. Persons age 60 or over and people of all ages with serious underlying health conditions – such as immunodeficiency, heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes – appear to be at a higher risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19. If you fall into one of these high-risk groups or have a fever with flu-like symptoms and you are scheduled to appear in court as a witness, party, attorney, or prospective juror, please contact the clerk’s office prior to coming to court. Further, if you have been in any of the countries or regions identified as Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the last 14 days, please contact the clerk’s office prior to coming to court.  A phone number for the clerk’s office in each division is listed below.

The Court has issued Third Amended General Order 21-02 concerning court operations under the exigent circumstances created by COVID-19. Third Amended General Order 21-02 provides, among other things, that all persons, regardless of vaccination status, seeking entry to, or occupying any of the District’s courthouses, must wear a face covering, unless medically exempt, in the public areas of the courthouses and must maintain six feet of physical distance from other persons whenever possible.

Third Amended General Order 21-02 highlights the change in the District Local Rules that now allows non-incarcerated pro se litigants the option to submit filings via email when complying requirements set forth in the Local Rules.  

Finally, Third Amended General Order 21-02 reauthorizes the use of videoconferencing and teleconferencing pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act through March 17, 2022.  

The suspension of courtesy copies has now ended. Pursuant to Local Rule 5.8(A), a courtesy paper copy must be provided to the presiding judge’s chambers if a document, with attachments and exhibits, is longer than 30 pages. 

Other COVID-19 information.