Article III: Civil Appeals | PART E. ORAL ARGUMENT
Rule Text
(a) Leave or Request of Court Necessary. A brief amicus curiae may be filed only by leave of the court or of a judge thereof, or at the request of the court. A motion for leave must be accompanied by the proposed brief and shall state the interest of the applicant and explain how an amicus brief will assist the court.
(b) Forms; Conditions; Time. A brief of an amicus curiae shall follow the form prescribed for the brief of an appellee, shall identify the amicus as such on the cover of the brief, and shall conform to any conditions imposed by the court. Unless the court or a judge thereof specifies otherwise, it shall be filed on or before the due date of the initial brief of the party whose position it supports. The color of the cover shall be the same as that of the party’s brief whose position it supports.
(c) Oral Argument. Amicus curiae will not be allowed to argue orally.
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
An "amicus curiae" brief is a document filed by someone who is not directly part of a lawsuit but wants to share information or a viewpoint that might help the court make its decision. To file one of these briefs in Illinois, you must first get permission from the court. When asking for permission, you need to submit your proposed brief along with a statement explaining who you are and why your brief would be useful to the court.
If the court allows your brief, it must follow the same format as the brief filed by the side you are supporting. It also needs to be filed by the same deadline as that party's brief. The cover of your brief must say "amicus curiae" and must be the same color as the brief of the party you support.
One important limit is that amicus filers are not allowed to speak during oral arguments. Your input is limited to what you put in writing.
Summary generated April 01, 2026
Committee Notes
No committee notes available for this rule.
Amended February 19, 1982, effective April 1, 1982; amended May 28, 1982, effective July 1, 1982; amended December 17, 1993, effective February 1, 1994, amended December 6, 2005, effective immediately; amended September 20, 2010, effective immediately.
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