When may an Illinois notice of appeal be amended without court leave?

Establish the original notice period from the actual qualifying Rule 303(a) entry.

Compare the intended amendment filing with that original period.

Identify the judgments, orders and requested relief that the amendment must cover.

1. Establish the original notice period from the actual qualifying Rule 303(a) entry.
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. Retain the original appeal period; do not restart at notice filing.
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 appealable final judgment is entered without a qualifying motion. The party seeks an amendment within the original notice period. The established input date is August 2, 2027. No additional closure, different order or unmodeled restart applies.

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

Only a timely qualifying motion changes the ordinary trigger

Rule 303(a)(1) requires a timely posttrial motion directed against the judgment. Use the order disposing of the last pending qualifying motion, not an earlier motion’s disposition or the filing date. Rule 303(a)(2) says a request to reconsider a ruling on a postjudgment motion does not toll the appeal time.

The notice must identify the judgment and relief

Rule 303(b) requires the appeal court, originating circuit court, case title and party designations, appropriate notice designation, appealed judgment or parts and requested relief, and appellant or attorney name and address. Its constitutional-judgment branch requires the stated Rule 18 findings attachment.

Filing, service and clerk transmission are different obligations

Rule 303(c) requires the filing party’s notice of filing in the reviewing court and service on every other party and each person or officer entitled by law within seven days, with Rule 12 proof filed with the notice. Rule 303(a)(4) separately requires the circuit clerk to file the notice or covered amendment with the reviewing clerk within five days.

After the original period, permission is required

Rule 303(b)(5) directs a later amendment to a motion in the reviewing court under Rule 303(d). Its relation-back statement does not independently grant leave or remove the applicable motion requirements.

• 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 original notice period from the actual qualifying Rule 303(a) entry.
• Compare the intended amendment filing with that original period.
• Identify the judgments, orders and requested relief that the amendment must cover.
• Rule 303(a)(1) requires a timely posttrial motion directed against the judgment. Use the order disposing of the last pending qualifying motion, not an earlier motion’s disposition or the filing date. Rule 303(a)(2) says a request to reconsider a ruling on a postjudgment motion does not toll the appeal time.
• Rule 303(b) requires the appeal court, originating circuit court, case title and party designations, appropriate notice designation, appealed judgment or parts and requested relief, and appellant or attorney name and address. Its constitutional-judgment branch requires the stated Rule 18 findings attachment.
• Rule 303(c) requires the filing party’s notice of filing in the reviewing court and service on every other party and each person or officer entitled by law within seven days, with Rule 12 proof filed with the notice. Rule 303(a)(4) separately requires the circuit clerk to file the notice or covered amendment with the reviewing clerk within five days.
• Rule 303(b)(5) directs a later amendment to a motion in the reviewing court under Rule 303(d). Its relation-back statement does not independently grant leave or remove the applicable motion requirements.
• File the required notice with the circuit court clerk under Rule 303(a). Complete its required contents under Rule 303(b). Separately file the reviewing-court notice of filing and serve the required recipients with Rule 12 proof under Rule 303(c). Preserve the actual filing, entry and service records. 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.