United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois

7th Circuit Springfield, Illinois

About This Court

The Central District of Illinois is one of three federal judicial districts in Illinois, sitting within the Seventh Circuit. The district spans the central portion of the state, covering a broad geographic area that includes Springfield, Peoria, Urbana, and Rock Island, among other communities. Springfield, the state capital, serves as the primary seat of the court.

The district handles the full range of federal civil and criminal matters arising from its territory, which encompasses both urban centers and large stretches of agricultural and rural Illinois. The presence of state government in Springfield means the court sees a notable volume of cases involving state officials and governmental entities.

As a district within the Seventh Circuit, the court follows the precedents of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which sits in Chicago.

Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Central District of Illinois.

Divisions

Peoria Division (Peoria), Springfield Division (Springfield), Urbana Division (Urbana), Rock Island Division (Rock Island)

Caseload

The Central District of Illinois handles a mix of federal civil litigation, criminal prosecutions, and cases involving state governmental actors given the location of the Illinois state capital within the district. The district's rural and agricultural character also contributes to its distinctive docket composition.

Bar Admission

Attorneys seeking admission to practice before the Central District of Illinois must be admitted to the Illinois bar or the bar of another state and must comply with the court's local rules governing admission. Applicants are generally required to complete an application and pay the required admission fee as specified by the clerk's office.

Clerk's Office

600 East Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62701

(217) 492-4020

Active Judges 8

Name	Appointed By	Confirmed	Law School
Colin Bruce	Barack Obama	2013	University of Illinois College of Law
Sara Darrow	Barack Obama	2011	St. Louis University School of Law
Jonathan Hawley	Joseph R. Biden	2024	DePaul University College of Law
Colleen Lawless	Joseph R. Biden	2023	Northern Illinois University College of Law
Joe McDade	George H.W. Bush	1991	University of Michigan Law School
Michael Mihm	Ronald Reagan	1982	St. Louis University School of Law
Sue Myerscough	Barack Obama	2011	Southern Illinois University School of Law
James Shadid	Barack Obama	2011	John Marshall Law School (now University of Illinois Chicago School of Law)

Local Rules

75 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Civil Rules 47

Rule	Title
RULE 1.1	SCOPE OF THE RULES
RULE 11.1	TELEPHONE NUMBER ON PLEADINGS
RULE 11.2	DESIGNATION OF LEAD COUNSEL ON INITIAL PLEADING
RULE 11.3	CERTIFICATE OF INTEREST
RULE 11.4	ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES
RULE 16.1	PRETRIAL PROCEDURES
RULE 16.2	SCHEDULING CONFERENCE AND ORDER
RULE 16.3	PRETRIAL PROCEDURES IN PRISONER AND DETAINEE CASES
RULE 16.4	ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
RULE 26.2	IMPLEMENTATION OF FED. R. CIV. P. 26
RULE 26.3	FILING OF DISCOVERY OR DISCLOSURE MATERIALS
RULE 30.1	SCHEDULING OF DEPOSITIONS
RULE 33.1	INTERROGATORIES
RULE 37.3	DISCOVERY
RULE 38.1	EQUITABLE RELIEF OR JURY DEMAND
RULE 40.1	ASSIGNMENT OF CASES AND PLACE OF FILING
RULE 4.1	WAIVER OF SERVICE
RULE 42.1	CONSOLIDATION AND TRANSFER OF RELATED CASES
RULE 45.1	ISSUANCE OF BLANK SUBPOENAS
RULE 47.2	COMMUNICATIONS WITH JURORS
RULE 47.3	CONDUCT BEFORE THE JURY
RULE 48.1	NUMBER OF JURORS
RULE 5.1	FORMAT OF FILINGS
RULE 5.10	SEALED CASES, DOCUMENTS FOR IN CAMERA REVIEW, AND EX PARTE DOCUMENTS
RULE 5.11	PRIVACY
RULE 51.1	PROPOSED INSTRUCTIONS TO JURY
RULE 5.2	ELECTRONIC FILING AUTHORIZED
RULE 5.3	SERVICE BY ELECTRONIC MEANS AUTHORIZED
RULE 5.4	DEFINITIONS FOR ELECTRONIC FILING
RULE 54.1	REQUESTS FOR ATTORNEYS FEES AND BILLS OF COSTS
RULE 5.5	SCOPE OF ELECTRONIC FILING
RULE 5.6	ELIGIBILITY, REGISTRATION, AND PASSWORDS
RULE 5.7	ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES
RULE 5.8	ATTACHMENTS AND EXHIBITS
RULE 5.9	COURT RECORD AND ORDERS
RULE 6.1	EXTENSIONS OF TIME
RULE 7.1	MOTIONS
RULE 72.1	UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGES
RULE 72.2	REVIEW AND APPEAL FROM MAGISTRATE JUDGES
RULE 79.1	CUSTODY AND DISPOSITION OF MODELS AND EXHIBITS
RULE 79.2	ACCESS TO RECORDS AND PAPERS
RULE 8.1	SOCIAL SECURITY CASES: REVIEW UNDER 42 U.S.C. § 405(g)
RULE 8.2	RULE ON POST-CONVICTION PROCEEDINGS IN CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CASES PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. SECTIONS 2254 AND 2255
RULE 83.1	RULE MAKING
RULE 83.13	PAYMENT OF COSTS IN ACTIONS BY POOR PERSONS
RULE 83.14	ASSESSMENT OF JURY COSTS
RULE 83.3	COURTROOM DECORUM

Criminal Rules 17

Rule	Title
RULE 12.1	PLEADINGS AND MOTIONS
RULE 32.1	IMPLEMENTATION OF SENTENCING GUIDELINES
RULE 49.1	ELECTRONIC FILING AUTHORIZED
RULE 49.10	ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES
RULE 49.11	ACCESS TO RECORDS AND PAPERS
RULE 49.12	PRIVACY
RULE 49.2	DEFINITIONS FOR ELECTRONIC FILING
RULE 49.3	SERVICE BY ELECTRONIC MEANS AUTHORIZED
RULE 49.4	SCOPE OF ELECTRONIC FILING
RULE 49.5	ELIGIBILITY, REGISTRATION, AND PASSWORDS
RULE 49.6	ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES
RULE 49.7	ATTACHMENTS AND EXHIBITS
RULE 49.8	COURT RECORD AND ORDERS
RULE 49.9	SEALED CASES, DOCUMENTS FOR IN CAMERA REVIEW, AND EX PARTE DOCUMENTS
RULE 57.2	CONFIDENTIAL PROBATION RECORDS
RULE 57.3	APPEARANCES IN CRIMINAL CASES
RULE 58.2	FORFEITURE OF COLLATERAL IN LIEU OF APPEARANCE

General Rules 9

Rule	Title
RULE 4.2	JURY TRIAL PROCEDURES IN BANKRUPTCY COURT
RULE 83.10	STANDING COMMITTEES
RULE 83.11	TRANSMISSION OF PLEADINGS BY FACSIMILE NOT ALLOWED
RULE 83.12	ADVANCE PAYMENT OF FEES
RULE 83.15	DISTRICT COURT FUND
RULE 83.16	PRODUCTION AND DISCLOSURE OF DOCUMENTS AND TESTIMONY OF JUDICIAL PERSONNEL IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
RULE 83.7	POSSESSION AND/OR USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITHIN THE COURTHOUSE
RULE 83.8	PROHIBITION OF FIREARMS IN COURTROOMS
RULE 83.9	COURT REPORTING FEES

Attorney Rules 2

Rule	Title
RULE 83.5	ADMISSION TO PRACTICE
RULE 83.6	ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE

View all local rules →

Other Courts in the 7th Circuit

Eastern District of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin Northern District of Illinois Chicago, Illinois Northern District of Indiana South Bend, Indiana Southern District of Illinois East St. Louis, Illinois Southern District of Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana Western District of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin