Illinois Supreme Court Rules — Civil Procedure – 2026
Articles I and II of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, covering general provisions and civil proceedings in trial courts, including pleadings, motions, discovery, pretrial conferences, and judgments.
Browse all 163 rules of the 2026 edition organized by section below. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules. Use the search box to find rules by keyword or number.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the Illinois Supreme Court Rules on Civil Procedure cover?
These rules govern how civil cases are handled in Illinois trial courts, covering everything from how pleadings and motions are filed to discovery procedures, pretrial conferences, and judgments. They apply to civil proceedings in Illinois state courts and set the standards that lawyers and parties must follow throughout the life of a case. The rule set is organized into Articles I and II, with Article I addressing general provisions and Article II focusing on civil proceedings specifically.
How are these Illinois Supreme Court Rules different from the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure?
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure govern cases filed in federal courts, while these Illinois Supreme Court Rules apply to civil cases in Illinois state courts. Although the two sets of rules cover similar topics and sometimes parallel each other, they have distinct requirements around timing, formatting, and procedure that can differ in meaningful ways. If your case is in an Illinois state court, these are the rules that apply, regardless of what the federal rules say.
Where in these rules can I find the requirements for discovery?
Discovery rules are found within Article II of this rule set, which covers civil proceedings in trial courts. That section addresses depositions, interrogatories, requests for production, and other discovery tools, along with deadlines and limits that apply to each. If you are looking for a specific discovery method, checking the table of contents or the rule index for Article II is a good starting point among the 163 rules in this collection.