When can an Illinois mandatory arbitration award be rejected?

Obtain the award’s actual clerk file mark.

Confirm eligible hearing attendance, including counsel or permitted remote appearance, and any debarment.

Prepare written rejection, trial request, service certificate and the applicable fee or actual waiver.

1. Obtain the award’s actual clerk file mark.
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. File written rejection and request to proceed to trial with the clerk, together with the certificate of service on all other parties. Pay the required fee or preserve the court’s actual waiver. Preserve the actual filed document, clerk receipt, service and proof. File with the proper clerk in the required format. Rule 9 ordinarily requires civil electronic filing, subject to its exceptions and exemptions. Rule 9(f) ordinarily requires submission before midnight in the court time zone unless a statute, rule or actual order specifies a different time. A submission on a closed clerk day ordinarily receives the next open-day stamp. Preserve the actual electronic file mark, receipt and any filing-relief order. Filing and service are distinct acts.

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. An eligible nondebarred attending party seeks rejection of the award actually filed with the clerk. The established event is August 2, 2027. No additional local closure or different court direction is assumed.

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

Attendance and debarment determine eligibility

Rule 93(a) includes appearance in person, by counsel or remotely by telephone or video. A rejection is not effective for a party debarred from rejecting. Another party’s rejection does not remove that debarment.

Fee or actual court waiver remains required

Paragraph (a) specifies $200 for awards of $30,000 or less and $500 for larger awards. Paragraph (c) permits a court waiver on the stated application under Rule 298. The calculator does not grant a waiver.

One eligible rejection can permit other parties to proceed

A single rejection enables all parties except those debarred to proceed to trial on all issues without separate rejections. Preserve the actual filed notice and service certificate.

• The calculator does not decide the applicable civil procedure, 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 case’s timetable.

• Obtain the award’s actual clerk file mark.
• Confirm eligible hearing attendance, including counsel or permitted remote appearance, and any debarment.
• Prepare written rejection, trial request, service certificate and the applicable fee or actual waiver.
• Rule 93(a) includes appearance in person, by counsel or remotely by telephone or video. A rejection is not effective for a party debarred from rejecting. Another party’s rejection does not remove that debarment.
• Paragraph (a) specifies $200 for awards of $30,000 or less and $500 for larger awards. Paragraph (c) permits a court waiver on the stated application under Rule 298. The calculator does not grant a waiver.
• A single rejection enables all parties except those debarred to proceed to trial on all issues without separate rejections. Preserve the actual filed notice and service certificate.
• File written rejection and request to proceed to trial with the clerk, together with the certificate of service on all other parties. Pay the required fee or preserve the court’s actual waiver. Preserve the actual filed document, clerk receipt, service and proof. File with the proper clerk in the required format. Rule 9 ordinarily requires civil electronic filing, subject to its exceptions and exemptions. Rule 9(f) ordinarily requires submission before midnight in the court time zone unless a statute, rule or actual order specifies a different time. A submission on a closed clerk day ordinarily receives the next open-day stamp. Preserve the actual electronic file mark, receipt and any filing-relief order. Filing and service are distinct acts.