Certificate of Service

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

State of Illinois — Circuit Court

ILLINOIS SERVICE TIME EXTENSIONS (Rule 11(c)):
- Mail service: +5 calendar days added to any response period
- Email service: +2 calendar days added to any response period
- eFileIL (electronic service through portal): Verify current rule — service through eFileIL may or may not trigger the mail/email extension depending on the method of electronic service used
- Hand/personal delivery: 0 additional days

IMPORTANT: Illinois Supreme Court Rule 11(b)(6), as amended effective October 1, 2024, requires attorneys to accept email service at their designated email address. Consent is not required to serve an attorney by email if they have a designated email address on file. This is different from most states.

SECTION 1: COURT HEADER AND CASE CAPTION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE [JUDICIAL CIRCUIT] JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
[________________________________] COUNTY, ILLINOIS
[DIVISION / DEPARTMENT]
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

[________________________________],
      Plaintiff,

v.                                             Case No. [________________________________]

[________________________________],
      Defendant.

SECTION 2: DOCUMENT(S) SERVED

The following document(s) were served:

SECTION 3: CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

The undersigned certifies pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rules 11 and 12 and 735 ILCS 5/1-109 that on [__/__/____], the above-listed document(s) were served upon the following:

SECTION 4: PARTIES / COUNSEL SERVED

Recipient 1

Name: [________________________________]
Capacity: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Pro Se Party ☐ Other: [________________]
Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email (designated service email per R. 11 and R. 131(d)(1)): [________________________________]
ARDC No. (if attorney): [____________________]

Method of Service (Ill. S. Ct. R. 11(b)):

☐ Electronic service through Odyssey eFileIL (R. 11(b)(1)) — Document filed through eFileIL. Registered service contacts are automatically served.
(eFileIL Transaction/Envelope No.: [________________________________])
(eFileIL service on a registered service contact — verify whether 2-day email extension applies.)

☐ Email to designated email address (R. 11(b)(6)) — Sent to: [________________________________]
(Effective October 1, 2024: Attorneys must accept service by email at their designated address. Consent is NOT required.)
(Email sent at [____:____] [AM/PM] CT. +2 calendar days added to response period per R. 11(c).)

☐ First-Class U.S. Mail (R. 11(b)(2)) — Sealed envelope, postage prepaid, deposited at:
Location: [________________________________], Illinois
Time: [____:____] [AM/PM]
(+5 calendar days added to any response period per R. 11(c).)

☐ Hand Delivery (R. 11(b)(3)) — Delivered at:
Location: [________________________________]
Time: [____:____] [AM/PM]
Delivered by: [________________________________]
(No additional days.)

☐ Third-Party Commercial Carrier (R. 11(b)(4)) — Via: [________________________________]
Tracking No.: [________________________________]

☐ Facsimile (R. 11(b)(5) — consent required) — Fax No.: [________________________________]
Time: [____:____] [AM/PM]
(Consent on file. +2 calendar days may apply.)

Recipient 2

Name: [________________________________]
Capacity: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Pro Se Party ☐ Other: [________________]
Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
ARDC No.: [____________________]

Method of Service:

☐ eFileIL — Transaction No.: [________________________________]
☐ Email (designated address, no consent required for attorneys) — Sent to: [________________________________] at [____:____] [AM/PM]
☐ First-Class U.S. Mail — Deposited at [________________________________], Illinois (+5 days)
☐ Hand Delivery — At [________________________________] at [____:____] [AM/PM]
☐ Third-Party Commercial Carrier — Tracking: [________________________________]
☐ Facsimile (consent on file) — Fax No.: [________________________________]

Recipient 3 (if applicable)

Name: [________________________________]
Capacity: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Pro Se Party ☐ Other: [________________]
Address / Email: [________________________________]
ARDC No.: [____________________]

Method of Service:

☐ eFileIL — Transaction No.: [________________________________]
☐ Email — Sent to: [________________________________]
☐ First-Class U.S. Mail — Deposited at [________________________________]
☐ Hand Delivery
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Add additional recipients as needed.

SECTION 5: EFILE IL (ODYSSEY) — ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Odyssey eFileIL is the Illinois statewide electronic filing system for circuit courts, administered through Tyler Technologies:

☐ All parties' counsel are registered eFileIL users with designated service contacts — service was completed automatically upon e-filing
☐ Some parties are not registered eFileIL users — manual service was used for those parties (described above)

eFileIL Filing Confirmation:

• eFileIL Envelope/Transaction No.: [________________________________]
• Date/Time of Submission: [__/__/____] at [____:____] [AM/PM] CT
• Filing Status: ☐ Accepted ☐ Under Review ☐ Rejected (describe: [________________])

eFileIL Service Mechanism:
When a document is filed through eFileIL, the system automatically sends a "Notice of Electronic Filing" to all registered service contacts for the case. Service is complete upon transmission. Attorneys who have designated service email addresses in eFileIL receive automatic service notice.

Service Contacts:
In eFileIL, attorneys must designate a "service contact" email address. Service through eFileIL goes to the designated service contact email. Verify that opposing counsel's service contact email is properly registered in the system.

SECTION 6: EMAIL SERVICE — RULE 11(b)(6) (EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2024)

Critical Rule Change — No Consent Required for Attorney Email Service:

Under Ill. S. Ct. R. 11(b)(6), as amended effective October 1, 2024:

• Attorneys must include an email address on documents filed with the court.
• Service by email may be made to an attorney's designated email address without prior consent.
• Attorneys may not refuse email service by claiming they have not consented.
• The email address designated for service must be the attorney's primary service email.

☐ Email service was made to the attorney's designated email address per R. 11(b)(6) — no consent was required.
☐ Email service was made with the party's consent (for self-represented parties or non-attorney recipients).

Note: The no-consent rule applies to attorneys. Self-represented parties (pro se litigants) who do not have a designated email address on file must still consent to email service.

SECTION 7: SELF-REPRESENTED PARTY (PRO SE) SERVICE

(Complete if any party is self-represented.)

☐ A self-represented (pro se) party was served. Details:

Pro Se Party Name: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Method:
☐ First-Class U.S. Mail — Deposited at [________________________________], Illinois on [__/__/____]
(+5 calendar days added to response period.)
☐ Hand Delivery — At [________________________________] on [__/__/____]
☐ Email — Email: [________________________________]
(Pro se email service note: If the pro se party is not registered on eFileIL and has not designated an email address, consent is still required for email service per R. 11(b)(5). Consent obtained: [__/__/____].)

SECTION 8: MULTIPLE-PARTY SERVICE TABLE

SECTION 9: DATE AND TIME OF SERVICE

Date of Service: [__/__/____]
Time of Service / Transmission: [____:____] [AM/PM] Central Time (CT — CST/CDT)
City/Location of Mailing or Delivery: [________________________________], Illinois

SECTION 10: ILLINOIS SERVICE TIME EXTENSIONS (RULE 11(c))

Illinois Time Extensions by Service Method:

Illinois Mail Rule — 5 Days:
Illinois adds 5 days (not 3 days as in federal court and many states) when service is by mail. This is a common trap. Always verify whether you are counting from service by mail (add 5) or from filing/some other event.

Email — 2-Day Extension:
Illinois adds 2 days when service is by email. This is unique among states, many of which add zero days for email service.

Calculation Example:

• Motion served by email on Monday, March 9
• Response period: 14 days under a local rule
• Without extension: due March 23
• With Illinois 2-day email extension: due March 25

SECTION 11: CERTIFICATION

Under penalties of perjury pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/1-109, I certify that the statements set forth herein are true and correct.

Date: [__/__/____]

_____________________________________________
[________________________________]
ARDC No. [____________________]
[________________________________] (Law Firm)
[________________________________] (Street Address)
[________________________________], Illinois [________] (City, ZIP)
Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[________]
Email: [________________________________]
Attorney for [________________________________] / Pro Se [Party]

SECTION 12: E-FILING INSTRUCTIONS (eFileIL)

How eFileIL Service Works:

1. Attorney logs into eFileIL at efileil.com or through the Illinois Courts website.
2. Attorney prepares the filing envelope with documents and submits.
3. eFileIL transmits the filing to the circuit court for review.
4. Upon court acceptance, eFileIL sends an email notification to all designated service contacts.
5. The notification email constitutes service on registered parties.
6. For parties not in eFileIL (unregistered pro se parties), the filer must serve by mail, hand delivery, or email (if consent obtained).

File Size Limits:

• Maximum document size: 25 MB
• Maximum envelope size: 50 MB (circuit courts); 150 MB (Supreme/Appellate)

Retain Confirmation Emails:
Store eFileIL transaction confirmation emails in the litigation file. The transaction number, date, and time of filing are critical evidence of timely service.

SECTION 13: COUNTY-SPECIFIC NOTES

Cook County (Chicago — 1st Judicial Circuit):
Cook County has specific local rules, general orders, and division requirements. Each division of the Cook County Circuit Court (Law, Chancery, Domestic Relations, Probate, County, Criminal) has its own practices. Cook County also has additional requirements for complex cases and emergency matters. Review current Cook County General Orders and individual division standing orders.

DuPage County (18th Judicial Circuit):
Standard eFileIL procedures apply. Review local rules and standing orders.

Lake County (19th Judicial Circuit):
Standard eFileIL procedures. Check for local general orders.

Sangamon County (Springfield — 7th Judicial Circuit):
Standard eFileIL procedures. Check local rules.

St. Clair County (20th Judicial Circuit):
Standard eFileIL procedures. Note that St. Clair County is in the 5th Appellate District.

SECTION 14: PRACTITIONER NOTES

5-Day Mail Extension:
Illinois adds 5 days for mail service — not 3 days as in federal court. This is a common mistake for practitioners who do both state and federal court work in Illinois. Double-check all deadline calculations.

2-Day Email Extension:
Illinois also adds 2 days for email service. This is unusual — most states add zero days for electronic service. When calculating response times, always consider which service method was used.

No Consent Required for Attorney Email Service (2024 Rule Change):
Effective October 1, 2024, Illinois amended Rule 11 to require attorneys to accept email service at their designated email address without prior consent. Attorneys who claim they did not consent to email service are no longer protected if they have a designated service email on file. This is a significant change that streamlines service but eliminates a common defensive tactic.

ARDC Number Required:
Illinois attorneys must include their ARDC (Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission) number on all court filings, including certificates of service. Verify that your ARDC number is current and that your registration is in good standing.

Pro Se Parties — eFileIL:
Self-represented parties may use eFileIL (it is free to use). Pro se parties who are registered in eFileIL may receive electronic service through the system. Those who are not registered must receive service by mail or hand delivery unless they have consented to email service.

Circuit Court vs. Appellate Court:
This certificate is for circuit court use. For Appellate Court filings, the same Rules 11 and 12 apply, but the Appellate Court has its own e-filing portal and envelope size limits (150 MB). Use the appropriate portal for the appropriate court.

This template was prepared for use in Illinois state court practice. It is not a substitute for independent legal research and attorney judgment. Verify all citations and procedures against current Illinois Supreme Court Rules, including any amendments effective October 1, 2024 and thereafter.