• Varsha Pandya
  (312) 435-5363

• Carole Gainer
  (312) 435-5364
  Room: 1218

• Lisa Gillette
• Laure Mullaney

• Nancy LaBella
  (312) 435-6890
  Room: 1222

NOTICE

JUDGE GUZMAN HAS TWO PERMANENT LAW CLERKS AND DOES NOT ACCEPT LAW CLERK APPLICATIONS.

All electronic filings must include a courtesy hard copy to Judge Guzman's Courtroom Deputy (Room 1218).

Judge Guzman will hear motions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 AM with a two (2) day notice.

All filings should be done with the clerk's office on the 20th floor.

At least 14 days before an initial status hearing the parties shall meet to discuss the nature and basis of their claims and defenses and the possibilities for a prompt settlement or resolution of the case. The parties shall also meet to discuss for the arrangement of the disclosures required by Rule 26(a)(1) and to develop a proposed discovery plan. A written report outlining the discovery plan shall be filed with the clerk's office 3 business days before the initial status hearing. Plaintiff is responsible for initiating such a meeting and all parties are required to attend by lead counsel. Failure or refusal to participate in such a meeting or to cooperate in the preparation of the written report may constitute a basis for sanctions. Lead counsel for each party is required to attend the initial status hearing.  The parties shall deliver a copy of the initial status report to the Courtroom Deputy (Room 1218) three business days before the initial status hearing.

Status hearings are heard Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 A.M.

Attorneys preparing for a settlement conference are directed to read and comply with the court’s standing order: STANDING ORDER OF JUDGE RONALD A. GUZMAN SETTING SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

Motions are heard on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 AM with a two (2) day notice.

If the case involves more than one defendant represented by different counsel, counsel for defendants are encouraged to file joint briefs and exhibits or adopt parts of a co-defendant's brief. The parties are reminded that redundant and uncoordinated briefing may be stricken. 

In most cases the court will hear arguments on discovery motions and rule from the bench after oral arguments without formal briefings. Counsel should come prepared to argue the motion at that time. After initial oral argument the court may, if the issues warrant it, set a briefing schedule.

If cross motions for summary judgment are to be filed the following briefing schedule will apply. Defendant's summary judgment motion will be due on the dispositive motion filing deadline. Plaintiff's combined cross motion and response to defendant's motion shall be due three (3) weeks thereafter. Defendant's reply in support of its motion and response to plaintiff's cross motion shall be due three (3) weeks thereafter. Plaintiff's reply in support of its cross motion shall be due three (3) weeks thereafter. Each successive due date shall be measured from the date of the previous filing. Ruling to be by mail. Failure to coordinate and/or adhere to these instructions may result in striking of motions.

Final pretrial orders are to be filed in open court. Filing dates not previously set in court may be obtained from the Courtroom Deputy. Motions in limine are to be filed three weeks prior to trial or at the time of filing the final pretrial order, whichever is sooner.

When submitting a final pretrial order, the parties shall comply with the requirements of the Local Rule 16.1.1. Final Pretrial Order Form and pay special attention to Section (2)(h)(2) and Footnote 10 pertaining to jury instructions. Note: In cases being tried before Judge Guzman, the phrase "[a]t the time of trial" as used in Footnote 10 (with regard to the submission of an unmarked original set of instructions and any special interrogatories) means "at the beginning of the trial."

Proposed orders should NOT be sent to the judge's email address unless the court has specifically directed the parties to do so.

Proposed Orders are technically not to be "filed." Rather, they are to be "submitted" to the judge to consider, to modify, if appropriate, and to enter electronically. For example, proposed orders such as stipulated protective orders require court approval before actually being given full effect. 

To prevent confusion, such proposed orders must be attached to an e-mail sent to the e-mail address of the assigned judge : Proposed_Order_Guzman@ilnd.uscourts.gov.   

The subject line of the e-mail must include the case number and name, the docket number of the corresponding motion, if any, and the title of the order that is proposed as indicated on the Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF). All such documents must be submitted to the court in a format compatible with WordPerfect, which is a "Save As" option in most word processing software. Such proposed orders should also be served on all parties.