Leaner Pre-trial Orders Permitted

Judge Jantz does not require the parties to prepare a full pre-trial order. Instead, Judge Jantz requires only the following items be submitted before a bench or jury trial:

1. A joint and concise statement of the claim(s) of plaintiff(s), defense(s) of defendant(s), and all counterclaims and cross claims. In a jury case, this statement will be read to the jury during voir dire. This statement is due fourteen (14) days before the pre-trial conference.

2. A list of names and addresses of all witnesses: a) who will be called; b) who may be called; and c) whose deposition will be used. In a jury case, this list will be read to the jury during voir dire. This list is due fourteen (14) days before the trial date.

3. A list of names and addresses of all expert witnesses who will be called. This list is due fourteen (14) days before the trial date.

4. A statement summarizing the current status of settlement negotiations. This statement is due fourteen (14) days before the pre-trial conference.

5. In a bench trial, proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law are to be submitted fourteen (14) days before the trial date. Trial briefs are not necessary. The parties shall confer about proposed findings of fact and law as to which they agree and submit those to the Court. Each party also shall submit its disputed findings of fact and conclusions of law. Proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law are to be in Word format, and emailed to the Proposed Order box.

6. In a jury trial, the parties are instructed to meet to discuss jury instructions prior to filing the same. The parties should concentrate their efforts on the Seventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions. Proposed jury instructions are due fourteen (14) days before the pre-trial conference, in Word format, and emailed to the Proposed Order box. Agreed and disputed instructions should be marked as such.

7. Proposed voir dire questions special to the case should be submitted to the Court fourteen (14) days before the pre-trial conference.

8. Any Daubert motions shall be filed on the docket no later than thirty-five (35) days and responses no later than twenty-one (21) days before the pre-trial conference.

9. Motions in limine shall be filed on the docket no later than twenty-one (21) days and responses no later than fourteen (14) days before the pre-trial conference. The parties should be prepared to argue their motions in limine at the pre-trial conference. Motions in limine are not favored and should be used sparingly in order to conserve the parties’ resources.  Any motion in limine filed by a party must be accompanied by a statement that the party has conferred with the opposing party and has determined that the matter upon which a ruling is sought is actually in dispute – that is, that the opposing party intends to offer the evidence that the movant seeks to exclude. If the meet-and-confer process results in an agreement that certain matters are inadmissible, that agreement should be memorialized in a stipulation.

10.  Stipulations. A listing of any stipulations agreed to by the parties are to be submitted fourteen (14) days before the trial date.  The Court encourages ample stipulations where possible as a good way to conserve the parties’ resources.

11.  Daily/Expedited Transcript and Real-Time Reporting.  Any requests for daily or other expedited transcripts or real-time reporting must be made at least seven (7) days prior to trial so that an available court reporter can be assigned to the trial.

Unless otherwise indicated, all submissions shall be emailed to the Court’s proposed order inbox, Proposed_Order_Jantz@ilnd.uscourts.gov, with CC to counsel for all parties. The subject line of the e-mail must include the case number and name and title of the submission.