When is an accelerated Illinois appellant brief or memorandum due?

Establish the covered accelerated appeal and actual appellate record filing.

Confirm whether district procedures permit a memorandum instead of a formal brief.

Identify actual schedule directions and exclude later responding or reply stages.

1. Establish the covered accelerated appeal and actual appellate record filing.
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 covered accelerated record is actually filed and there is no different order. The established event is August 2, 2027. No additional closure or different actual order applies.

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

Acceleration does not create appealability

Rule 311(a) applies to its covered final minor-related orders and qualifying interlocutory appeals after Rule 306(a)(5) leave. Establish finality or actual permission separately. Other issues may be handled with the accelerated appeal only under the rule’s stated condition.

Covered filings require the special caption

Rule 311(a)(1) requires the prescribed bold expedited-disposition statement at the top of the front page of covered notices, petitions, docketing statements, briefs and other filings.

Later stages use distinct due-date events

Rule 311(a)(7) measures appellee time from the appellant due date, reply time from the appellee due date and cross-reply time from the reply due date. This calculator does not calculate those different acts.

District procedures and actual continuances require separate review

Rule 311(a)(6) requires district procedures and permits memoranda and separation of issues. Paragraph (8) disfavors continuances and permits them only for compelling circumstances, with possible personal appearance. Do not assume a request changes a deadline.

• 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.

• Establish the covered accelerated appeal and actual appellate record filing.
• Confirm whether district procedures permit a memorandum instead of a formal brief.
• Identify actual schedule directions and exclude later responding or reply stages.
• Rule 311(a) applies to its covered final minor-related orders and qualifying interlocutory appeals after Rule 306(a)(5) leave. Establish finality or actual permission separately. Other issues may be handled with the accelerated appeal only under the rule’s stated condition.
• Rule 311(a)(1) requires the prescribed bold expedited-disposition statement at the top of the front page of covered notices, petitions, docketing statements, briefs and other filings.
• Rule 311(a)(7) measures appellee time from the appellant due date, reply time from the appellee due date and cross-reply time from the reply due date. This calculator does not calculate those different acts.
• Rule 311(a)(6) requires district procedures and permits memoranda and separation of issues. Paragraph (8) disfavors continuances and permits them only for compelling circumstances, with possible personal appearance. Do not assume a request changes a deadline.
• File the opening brief or permitted memorandum with the Appellate Court and complete applicable service and proof. Include the prescribed bold special caption. Preserve actual record filing and any district or case-specific directions. 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.