In a joint US District Court – Federal Bar Association (Chicago Chapter) production, Judges Amy J. St. Eve, Maria Valdez, and Robert M. Dow presented today on the Mandatory Initial Discovery Pilot Project that starts June 1, 2017 in the the Northern District of Illinois. Video of their presentation is available courtesy of the court.

With limited exceptions, counsel and litigants in all civil cases filed in, or removed to, the Northern District of Illinois on and after June 1, 2017 must participate in the project and comply with its requirements. There’s no opting out!

With limited exceptions, the project preemptively requires:

• Answers to complaints, regardless of whether a motion to dismiss is pending
• Disclosure and production of information and documents within 30 days after an answer is filed

The court has produced a series of videos on the project. These videos will help practitioners and their staffs adapt to project participation.

For more information on the project and how it affects your case, check out:

• The court’s standing order adopting the project
• The list of judges participating
• A Checklist of project features and requirements
• The Users Manual
• The project’s Filing Guide
• Slides from today’s presentation

The Chicago chapter thanks each of the participating judges—and Judges Castillo, St. Eve, Valdez, and Dow in particular—for their work rolling the project out and presenting it to practitioners.

This website will publish updates on the project and how practitioners can submit comments and suggestions about it. Check back here for more.