When is an ordinary Illinois appellant’s brief due?

Identify actual record filing in the reviewing court.

Establish the ordinary briefing branch rather than a special or accelerated appeal.

Obtain any actual briefing order and identify separate appellants.

1. Identify actual record filing in the reviewing court.
2. Exclude the independently established triggering day and count intermediate calendar days under 5 ILCS 70/1.11. A filing, entry, effective service or previously established due date must come from its actual record. Do not substitute one event for another.
3. Check statutory holidays and the proper court’s actual calendar.
4. Complete the particular act in the proper court.

Section 1.11 excludes a final Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday and consecutive excluded days. Section 17(a) of the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act includes Pulaski Day, Good Friday and the general election for members of the House of Representatives. Check proclamations, the proper court’s actual calendar and clerk access separately. The bundled Illinois calendar covers 2026 and 2027.

Fictitious example

Fictitious facts. The complete record is actually filed in the ordinary appeal without a different briefing order. The established event is July 26, 2027. No additional closure, special appeal or different order applies.

Fictitious facts. The appeal classification and triggering event are independently established. No additional closure, court order or unmodeled restart is assumed.

Special and accelerated appeals use other schedules

Rule 343(a) excludes its cross-appeal branch and other specified provisions, including Rules 306, 307, 308, 315 and 317. Rule 311(a)(7) supplies the accelerated minor-related timetable. Establish classification before selecting this ordinary period.

Actual court directions can shorten or extend time

Rule 343(c) permits the reviewing court or a judge to change time on its own initiative or a party’s motion showing good cause, supported by affidavit or section 1-109 certification. A motion alone does not establish a different deadline.

Separate appellants follow the appellant schedule

Rule 343(b)(2) directs a separate appellant to the appellant schedule. Appellees and replies then follow its due-date-based periods. Establish each actual appeal and order.

A cross-appeal changes the combined reply period

Under Rule 343(b)(1), the cross-appellant files one combined appellee and cross-appellant brief when the appellee brief is due. The appellant’s reply answers the cross-appeal and is due thirty-five days after that combined brief’s due date. The cross-appellant’s optional limited reply has a separate fourteen-day period from the appellant reply’s due date, unless otherwise ordered.

• The calculator does not decide appealability, disputed facts, sufficiency of a filing or whether the court grants relief.
• Check the governing edition and actual orders. A current rule does not establish every historical appeal’s timetable.

• Identify actual record filing in the reviewing court.
• Establish the ordinary briefing branch rather than a special or accelerated appeal.
• Obtain any actual briefing order and identify separate appellants.
• Rule 343(a) excludes its cross-appeal branch and other specified provisions, including Rules 306, 307, 308, 315 and 317. Rule 311(a)(7) supplies the accelerated minor-related timetable. Establish classification before selecting this ordinary period.
• Rule 343(c) permits the reviewing court or a judge to change time on its own initiative or a party’s motion showing good cause, supported by affidavit or section 1-109 certification. A motion alone does not establish a different deadline.
• Rule 343(b)(2) directs a separate appellant to the appellant schedule. Appellees and replies then follow its due-date-based periods. Establish each actual appeal and order.
• Under Rule 343(b)(1), the cross-appellant files one combined appellee and cross-appellant brief when the appellee brief is due. The appellant’s reply answers the cross-appeal and is due thirty-five days after that combined brief’s due date. The cross-appellant’s optional limited reply has a separate fourteen-day period from the appellant reply’s due date, unless otherwise ordered.
• File the appellant brief with the reviewing court and complete applicable service and proof. Check the governing brief requirements and any actual order separately. Preserve the record-filing receipt, brief filing and service evidence. Use the proper clerk and required filing format. Rule 9 ordinarily requires electronic filing in civil cases, subject to its exceptions and exemptions. Rule 9(f) ordinarily uses submission before midnight in the court time zone, unless a statute, rule or order sets a particular time. A submission when the clerk is closed is ordinarily stamped on the next open day. Current Rule 9(f) provides separate five-court-day motions for a rejected filing or qualifying technical failure; establish the actual notice, failure, corrected document and required proof. Rule 373 ordinarily uses actual receipt, with its mail or carrier exception limited to filings excepted or exempt from electronic filing. Its carrier branch requires delivery for receipt within three business days and Rule 12(b) proof. Filing and service remain separate acts. Use Rule 11’s applicable service method and file Rule 12 proof. Rule 12(c) makes electronic or personal delivery service effective on its stated day, mail service complete four days after mailing, and third-party carrier service complete on the third court day after delivery to the carrier. Establish effective service before using a service-triggered calculator. A rule requiring personal or email service cannot be replaced with ordinary mail.