Meet-and-Confer Requirements
N.D. Ill. — ## §5.
§5. Meet-and-Confer Requirements
Discovery Motions — Mandatory Conferral
The court will refuse to hear any discovery motion under FRCP Rules 26-37 unless the motion includes a statement that (LR 37.2):
- After consultation in person or by telephone and good faith attempts to resolve differences, counsel were unable to reach an accord; or
- Counsel's attempts to engage in such consultation were unsuccessful due to no fault of counsel's.
Certification Requirements
Where the consultation occurred, the statement must recite (LR 37.2):
- The date, time, and place of the conference
- The names of all parties participating
Where counsel was unable to engage in consultation, the statement must recite the efforts made by counsel to engage in consultation.
Format
The rule specifies in person or by telephone — email-only conferral does not satisfy LR 37.2.
Non-Discovery Motions
The local rules do not impose a general meet-and-confer requirement for non-discovery motions. Individual judges may require conferral before filing other types of motions — check the assigned judge's standing orders.