Civil Appeals Division

A Notice of Appeal is a document filed with the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court that serves as notice to all litigants in a civil case that one of the parties is asking a higher court to review the lower court's decision.

The Illinois Appellate Court handles most appeals from the Circuit Court of Cook County. In particular instances, cases may be appealed directly to the Illinois Supreme Court.

The required information for a Notice of Appeal is detailed in Illinois Supreme Court Rule 303. A Notice of Appeal form is available at the Civil Appeals Division located in Room 801 of the Richard J. Daley Center or by visiting the Civil Appeals Court Forms page.

These rules may be found in the Law Library on the 29th floor of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington St., Chicago, IL. Each suburban district office has a Law Library as well.

The Rules are also available online at www.state.il.us/Court/SupremeCourt/Rules.

Notices of Appeal for civil areas of law are filed with the Civil Appeals Division in Room 801 of the Daley Center, 50 West Washington St., Room 801, Chicago, IL 60602.

Notices of Appeal filed in other locations are forwarded to the Civil Appeals Division.

Notices of Appeal may also be filed through eFile Illinois.

The party who filed the Notice of Appeal is responsible for obtaining a file stamp on the face of the document.

Filing a Notice of Appeal does not require a fee.

The fees can be waived if a judge approves your Application to Sue or Defend as a Poor Person also known as a 298 Petition. Please access the following links:

https://services.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/Forms/Forms/pdf_files/WAP603.pdf

https://services.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/Forms/Forms/pdf_files/WAPCRIM603.pdf

Please contact the Illinois Appellate Court Clerk's Office at 312-793-5484 regarding their fee waiver process.

The Civil Appeals Division will electronically file the Record on Appeal with the Clerk of the Illinois Appellate Court First District, located at 160 North LaSalle St., 14th floor, Chicago, IL.

Your Record on Appeal will only be electronically filed after all applicable Circuit Court fees have been paid in full. It is the appellant’s responsibility to pay those fees in a timely manner.

It is also appellant’s responsibility to electronically file to the Appellate Court all documents required by that Court before the Record on Appeal is electronically filed. Failure to do so may result in the Appellate Court rejecting your electronically filed Record.

In direct appeals, the Civil Appeals Division will eFile the Record on Appeal to the Clerk of the Illinois Supreme Court.

In accordance with Supreme Court Rule 321, the Record on Appeal contains the judgment order, the Notice of Appeal and the entire original common law record, Reports of Proceedings and trial exhibits (if applicable).  The common law record includes every document filed and every order entered.

The Record on Appeal may be limited to less than the full common law record if the parties stipulate for, or the trial court, after notice and hearing, or the reviewing court, orders less.

If trial exhibits are to be included in the Record on Appeal, they must be submitted to the Civil Appeals Division with a stipulation of the parties or with a court order through the Electronic Appeals Filings submission portal. Each exhibit must be submitted separately in pdf format.

The Illinois Appellate Court (1st District) is located at 160 North LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60602, about one block west of the Richard J. Daley Center.

The Illinois Appellate Court Clerk's Office is located on the 14th floor. 

The telephone number is 312-793-5484.

Pursuant to M.R. 18368 issued by the Illinois Supreme Court on January 22, 2016, all Records on Appeal must be in an electronic format effective July 1, 2017. The appellant will have access to the electronic Record after it has been eFiled and accepted at the Illinois Appellate Court: that Clerk’s Office will e-mail you a link to the electronic Record on Appeal.

Effective July 1, 2017, Chief Judge Timothy Evan entered General Administrative Order 2017-4, Reports of Proceedings, trial exhibits and Supplemental Record Requests must be submitted electronically through the Electronic Appeals Filings submission portal.

Documents must be submitted individually through this site in pdf format to be included in the Record on Appeal or Supplemental Record on Appeal. All applicable Illinois Supreme Court Rules still apply.