In accordance with the Second Amended General Order 20-0012, all civil case hearings and settlement conferences scheduled through May 1, 2020 before Magistrate Judge Harjani are stricken. If you have a status hearing or settlement conference set after May 1, 2020, please wait for another general order from the Chief Judge to be docketed in your case that explains the Court’s process and procedures after May 1, 2020. Do not contact the Courtroom Deputy or chambers at this time. Furthermore, if you have a preliminary settlement call scheduled with the Court, the Court will reach out to you first via email to confirm the call.
All civil case deadlines, whether set by the Court, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or the Local Rules are extended by 28 days
in addition to the 21-day extension provided under Amended General Order 20-0012.
The Court suspends all courtesy-copy requirements through May 1, 2020.
Communications with Chambers for case related matters: The Court strongly prefers email communication with the courtroom deputy, with a copy to opposing counsel. Counsel may jointly contact the courtroom deputy at lynette_santiago@ilnd.uscourts.gov.
Communications with Chambers for non-case related matters: Please send an email to
Chambers_Harjani@ilnd.uscourts.gov.
Settlement correspondences: All settlement letters should be sent to
Settlement_Correspondence_Harjani@ilnd.uscourts.gov.
Three Business Day Notice Requirement for Motions: Motions shall be filed by the third business day preceding the date of presentment.
Courtesy Copies: Courtesy copies are not required unless the electronic filing, including exhibits, exceeds 10 pages.
Courtesy copies should be delivered to Judge Harjani’s courtroom deputy Lynette Santiago in Room 1854B within 24 hours of the filing.
Please do not leave courtesy copies in the drop box in the lobby.
Courtesy copies should include the printed CM/ECF header at the top of every page.
All electronically filed documents should be made word searchable before being filed on the CM/ECF system.
Telephone Appearances:
Although disfavored, the Court will consider requests for leave to appear telephonically at routine hearings that will not require
substantive argument when counsel has an office outside the Northern District of Illinois.
Attorneys appearing telephonically must have local counsel present in the courtroom.
Counsel may request to appear by telephone by sending an email, with a copy to opposing counsel, to Lynette Santiago at
lynette_santiago@ilnd.uscourts.gov at least one day
prior to the hearing. The email must include the case name and number, the date and time of the hearing,
the name of the attorney seeking to appear by telephone, the name of the party he or she represents, and a direct telephone number
where he or she can be reached when the case is called.
