Telephone Conference Hearings
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related General Orders, it will be necessary for the Court to conduct many more telephone conferences than was previously the case. In order to make this process as useful and efficient at possible, the Court provides the following guidelines.
- All participants should send an email to the Courtroom Deputy Carmen Acevedo (carmen_acevedo@ilnd.uscourts.gov) and the Court Reporter Joseph Rickhoff (joseph_rickhoff@ilnd.uscourts.gov) at least one hour before the scheduled call . The email should identify the case, the participants on the call, and the parties that they represent. The email also should include a separate telephone number (cell or landline) where the participants can be reached, if there are any technical difficulties.
- All participants should call into the telephone conference at least 5 minutes before the scheduled time.
- Please do not use speakerphones or the speakerphone capabilities of your cellphone (if you are using a cellphone). Speakerphones adversely impact the audio quality, and we will not be able to hear you clearly.
- The Court may schedule as many as three separate cases during any one time. Accordingly, once the participants have entered into the teleconference, they should put their phones on mute until their case is called. As a courtesy to other participants, please do not announce yourself until your case is called.
- Once a case is called, the participants will be invited to identify themselves for the record. Unless otherwise noted, all telephone conferences will be recorded by the Court Reporter.
- Please be sure to identify yourself by name whenever you speak during a conference call.
- Please do not speak over another participant who is speaking, to the extent possible. The Court will provide all parties with an opportunity to be heard.
- Because the courthouse is a public forum, members of the public and media will be able to call in to listen to telephone conference hearings, unless otherwise noted. All persons granted remote access to proceedings are reminded of the general prohibition against photographing, recording, and rebroadcasting of court proceedings. Violation of these prohibitions may result in court-imposed sanctions, including removal of court issued media credentials, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the Court.
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