United States · Illinois civil procedure

When must an Illinois Rule 137 sanctions motion be filed?

Rule 137(b) requires the motion within 30 days of final judgment entry, or within 30 days of the ruling on a timely postjudgment motion. The claim belongs in the same civil action. Establish the actual qualifying event before using this period.

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Period: 30 calendar days after the applicable qualifying event
Trigger: Final judgment entry, or ruling on an established timely postjudgment motion
Rule: Illinois Supreme Court Rule 137(b)

Illinois Supreme Court Rules

Current official individual rules, including Rule 90 effective March 1, 2026 and Rule 9 amended May 29, 2026

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Final judgment entry, or ruling on an established timely postjudgment motion

Use for the Rule 137(b) filing period after final judgment or an independently established timely postjudgment motion ruling. The calculation does not establish a violation or a fresh restart.

Entry rules and timing exceptions

30 days from Entry of final judgment, or the ruling on a timely post-judgment motion

Ill. S. Ct. R. 137(b)Binding

Rule notes

A Rule 137 claim is brought within the same civil action and gives rise to no separate suit. A judgment or order is not final and appealable while a Rule 137 claim remains pending unless the court enters a Rule 304(a) finding.

Calculation software, not legal advice. Check the current rule, orders and facts.

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What starts this Illinois civil period?

Obtain the actual final judgment and its entry record.

Determine whether a timely qualifying postjudgment motion was filed and obtain its actual ruling.

Select the applicable event and keep the sanctions proceeding in the same civil action.

Illinois Supreme Court Rule 137(b)

How is this Illinois civil period counted?

Obtain the actual final judgment and its entry record.
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.
Check statutory holidays and the proper court’s actual calendar.
File the sanctions motion in the same civil action, with applicable service and proof. Identify the alleged violation and supporting facts. Preserve the final judgment, timely motion and qualifying ruling. 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.

5 ILCS 70/1.11

What do independently derived facts show?

Fictitious example

Fictitious facts. Final judgment was entered and no qualifying timely postjudgment motion changes the event. The established event is August 2, 2027. No additional local closure or different court direction is assumed.

Example counting steps
Step	What is counted	Date
Established event	Final judgment entry, or ruling on an established timely postjudgment motion	August 2, 2027
Applicable period	30 calendar days after the applicable qualifying event	September 1, 2027

Example resultSeptember 1, 2027

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

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Which qualifications and court directions matter?

Sanctions require a substantive violation and court decision: Rule 137(a) addresses signed papers, reasonable inquiry, factual and legal grounds and improper purpose. The court may impose a sanction for a violation. A timely motion alone does not establish entitlement.
No separate civil suit arises under this rule: Paragraph (b) requires proceedings in the action where the document was filed. It expressly treats the alleged violation as a claim within that same action.
An imposed sanction needs specific written reasons: Paragraph (d) requires the judge to state the specific reasons and basis in the judgment or a separate written order. Preserve the actual disposition.

Illinois Supreme Court Rule 137(b)

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.

What must be filed, served and preserved?

Obtain the actual final judgment and its entry record.
Determine whether a timely qualifying postjudgment motion was filed and obtain its actual ruling.
Select the applicable event and keep the sanctions proceeding in the same civil action.
Rule 137(a) addresses signed papers, reasonable inquiry, factual and legal grounds and improper purpose. The court may impose a sanction for a violation. A timely motion alone does not establish entitlement.
Paragraph (b) requires proceedings in the action where the document was filed. It expressly treats the alleged violation as a claim within that same action.
Paragraph (d) requires the judge to state the specific reasons and basis in the judgment or a separate written order. Preserve the actual disposition.
File the sanctions motion in the same civil action, with applicable service and proof. Identify the alleged violation and supporting facts. Preserve the final judgment, timely motion and qualifying ruling. 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.

Questions about this Illinois civil act