Trial dates are firm subject to court availability. Accordingly, any motion to reset a trial date shall be made at the earliest possible time.

All exhibits are to be marked numerically (e.g., PX or GX 1; JX 1; DX 2) before trial. Copies are to be furnished to opposing counsel and the court with an exhibit list identifying exhibits by number with brief descriptions.

"JX" designates joint exhibits. The parties shall not present the identical exhibits with different exhibit numbers (e.g., PX1 and DX1 referring to the same document).

Counsel are to meet before submission of the joint pretrial order for the purpose of designating agreed jury instructions, preferably pattern instructions. The working sets of jury instructions shall be numbered by each party to facilitate orderly discussion of disputed instructions. The court recommends use of the pattern instructions adopted by the Northern District of Illinois or the Illinois Pattern Instructions.

Deposition testimony shall be presented by reading a written summary that excludes all colloquy and irrelevant matters. Unless otherwise ordered, counsel are to exchange written deposition summaries at least two weeks before trial. Counsel are then to meet and work out any language problems before trial. Evidentiary objections are to be noted by bracketing the objected to material and by a marginal notation briefly stating the basis of the objection (e.g., speculation, cumulative, irrelevant, Fed. R. Evid. 403, etc.).

If a civil case has been settled or if a defendant in a criminal case intends to plead guilty, the minute clerk shall be notified promptly. Jury costs and witness fees may be assessed for failure to inform the clerk of a settlement or guilty plea until the day of trial. See Local General Rule 54.2.

In criminal cases, the Assistant United States Attorney is requested to produce all § 3500 material to defense counsel prior to each court session in order to give defense counsel adequate time to review the material without using court time.