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Chancery Division

NOTICE: EFFECTIVE January 1, 2016 New civil cases, as well as pleadings in existing civil matters, will be required to be filed electronically. DuPage County Online E-file

Self-Represented Litigants

Courtrooms
Courtroom 1004

Associate Judge Joseph T. Bugos

505 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
630-407-8738
Fax: 630-407-8815
Email -  Joseph.Bugos@18thjudicial.org
Secretary - Trish - 630-407-8738

NOTICE: EFFECTIVE January 1, 2016 New civil cases, as well as pleadings in existing civil matters, will be required to be filed electronically.  DuPage County Online E-file

All presentment motions may be set through the I2File system or call the Judge's secretary.

Schedule for Monday
Time Activity
  8:30 a.m.  
  9:00 a.m.  
  9:15 a.m.  
  9:30 a.m.  
  9:45 a.m.  
  1:30 p.m.  
Schedule for Tuesday
Time Activity
  8:30 a.m.  
  9:00 a.m.  
  9:15 a.m.  
  9:30 a.m.  
  9:45 a.m.  
  1:30 p.m.  
Schedule for Wednesday - Friday
Time Activity
  8:30 a.m.  
  9:00 a.m.  
  9:15 a.m.  
  9:25 a.m.  
  9:30 a.m.  
  1:30 p.m.
Courtroom 2004

Associate Judge Robert G. Gibson

505 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
Fax: 630-407-8815
Email: Robert.Gibson@18thjudicial.org
Secretary - Trish - 630-407-8738

Chancery Division is located on the second floor. If you take the elevator, go to the second floor and take a left after coming out of the elevator. If you take the escalator, when you reach the second floor, take a hard right past the elevator. There is a sign that says, "Chancery Division Reception."

Motions must be scheduled through the Judge's Administrative Assistant. You may either call or email. For email requests the Judge's Administrative Assistant will confirm the date by reply email.

Because of the volume of cases in courtroom 2004, parties and counsel need to provide courtesy copies of all emergency motions and other motions (other than default motions and other uncontested motions) as well as any response and replay to such motions, prior to the court hearing in accordance with local court rule 6.05.  Courtesy copies that are being hand-delivered should be brought to the judge's administrative assistant on the second floor at the location described above.

NOTICE: Effective January 1, 2016 New civil cases, as well as pleadings in existing civil matters, will be required to be filed electronically.  DuPage County Online E-file

Court Schedule

Schedule for Monday - Thursday

Time Activity
9:00 a.m.

CH (Foreclosures, except commercial); Status Hearings; Motions being presented and Uncontested

Motions; Case Management Hearings; LM (except FED); set matters as assigned

10:00 a.m. 735 ILCS 2-1401 Petitions (Tues-Wed)
10:30 a.m. Pre-Trial Conferences
1:30 p.m. Contested Motion Hearings
2:00 p.m. Pre-Trial Conferences; Trials

 

Schedule for Friday

Time Activity
9:00 a.m.

CH (Foreclosures, except commercial); Status Hearings; Motions being presented and Uncontested

Motions; Case Management Hearings; LM (except FED); set matters as assigned

10:00 a.m. Contested Motion Hearings
10:30 a.m. Pre-Trial Conferences


Remote Court Hearings (Zoom)

www.18thjudicial.org/18thJudicial/Remote-Court-Hearings

Form Orders

Appearance

Form Motion

Supplemental Page to Pleading

Notice of Motion

Affidavit

Complaint for Writ of Replevin

Notice

Pre-Trial Memorandum

Memorandum of Judgement

Pro-se Change of Address

Receiver's Bond

Courtroom 2005

Associate Judge Anne T. Hayes

505 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, Illinois 60187  
Fax: 630-407-8815
Email -  Anne.Hayes@18thjudicial.org
Secretary - Agnieszka - 630-407-8738

All 9:00 a.m. Motions must be scheduled through the Judge's secretary. 

NOTICE: EFFECTIVE January 1, 2016 New civil cases, as well as pleadings in existing civil matters, will be required to be filed electronically.  DuPage County Online E-file

Court Schedule

Schedule for Monday - Thursday

Time Activity
9:00 a.m. CH (randomly assigned)
9:00 a.m. MR (randomly assigned except foreign divorce judgements, eavesdropping, extradition, fugitive from justice, habeas corpus)
9:00 a.m.      CC (Unauthorized Practice of Law)
9:00 a.m. Contested Hearings (MR and CH) as set by court
9:30 a.m.  Contested Motions
9:30 a.m.  Jury Trials as set

Schedule for Friday

Time Activity
  9:00 a.m. Pre-Trial Conference
10:00 a.m. Pre-Trial Conference

Standing Order

Jury Instructions

Jury instructions in Chancery cases usually require non-IPI instructions.  To facilitate more efficient jury trials, jury instructions must be prepared and exchanged (with copies to the Judge) seven days in advance of the start date of a jury trial.  The following order will be entered when the jury trial date is set.

  • Jury Instruction Order

Remote Court Hearings (Zoom)

www.18thjudicial.org/18thJudicial/Remote-Court-Hearings

Form Order

Courtroom 2007

Associate Judge Bryan S. Chapman

505 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
Fax: 630-407-8815
Email -  Bryan.Chapman@18thjudicial.org
Secretary - Leigh Anne - 630-407-8738

All 9:00 a.m. Motions must be scheduled through the Judge's secretary. 

Court Calendar

NOTICE: EFFECTIVE January 1, 2016 New civil cases, as well as pleadings in existing civil matters, will be required to be filed electronically.  DuPage County Online E-file

Permitted ZOOM uses:  Parties and their attorneys may appear via Zoom for the 9:00 status/case management/motion presentment call.  All other matters, including but not limited to: hearings on contested motions, presentment of emergency motions, settlement conferences, evidentiary hearings and/or trials, are IN PERSON.  The court reserves the right to require parties/counsel to appear in person on the 9:00 as necessary.  *Please note, any party filing an emergency motion must be present in person on its presentment date.

Court Schedule

Schedule for Monday - Friday
Time Activity
9:00 a.m. CH (randomly assigned)
9:00 a.m. MR (randomly assigned except foreign divorce judgements, eavesdropping, extradition, fugitive from justice, habeas corpus)
9:00 a.m. MC
9:00 a.m. FED over $50,000
9:00 a.m.  CC (Unauthorized Practice of Law) 
9:30 a.m.  Hearing as set
10:00 a.m. Trials as set

Standing Order

Jury Instructions

Jury instructions in Chancery cases usually require non-IPI instructions.  To facilitate more efficient jury trials, jury instructions must be prepared and exchanged (with copies to the Judge) seven days in advance of the start date of a jury trial.  The following order will be entered when the jury trial date is set.

  • Jury Instruction Order

Remote Court Hearings (Zoom)

www.18thjudicial.org/18thJudicial/Remote-Court-Hearings

Form Order

Special Note

Electronic orders are used in Courtroom 2007.  There are laptops available in the Courtroom for the use by attorneys and self-represented litigants.  The laptops are preloaded with cases on the call for each day.

Courtroom 2009

Associate Judge Craig R. Belford

505 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, Illinois 60187  
Fax: 630-407-8815
Email -  Craig.Belford@18thjudicial.org
Secretary - Leigh Anne - 630-407-8738

Matters Heard in Courtroom 2009

  • Juvenile and Adult Guardianship
  • Adoptions
  • Administrative Review Hearings
  • Various Chancery matters

All 9:00 a.m. Motions must be scheduled through the Judge's Administrative Assistant.  Additionally, Contested Motions with a fully agreed briefing schedule and proposed order can be scheduled through the Administrative Assistant.  You may either call her or email her.  Courtesy copies of all contested motions must be provided to the Judge seven (7) days prior to the hearing.  Failure to do so may result in a rescheduling of the hearing.

All courtesy copies provided to the Judge should be hard copies delivered seven (7) days prior to the court date and not emailed or faxed.

NOTICE: EFFECTIVE January 1, 2016 New civil cases, as well as pleadings in existing civil matters, will be required to be filed electronically.  DuPage County Online E-file

Court Schedule

Schedule for Monday - Friday
Time Activity
9:00 a.m. Guardianship Status
9:00 a.m. Motions
9:30 a.m. Contested Non-Evidentiary Matters
10:00 a.m. (Mon & Thurs) AD (adoptions)

Remote Court Hearings (Zoom)

www.18thjudicial.org/18thJudicial/Remote-Court-Hearings

Form Order

*Probate forms can be found here*

Courtroom 2011

Circuit Court Judge Paul M. Fullerton

505 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, Illinois 60187  
Fax: 630-407-8815
Email -  Paul.Fullerton@18thjudicial.org
Secretary - Agnieszka - 630-407-8738

Schedule for Monday - Friday
Time Activity
9:00 a.m. Status - Probate, Routine Motions (first notice)
10:00 a.m.  Contested Matters
11:00 a.m. Contested Matters
1:30 p.m.        Trials, Contested Matters, Pre-Trials

Standing Order

Opening and closing of estates may be done without court appearance as long as the following procedures are followed:

Opening Estates:

  1. Submit all documents electronically, EXCEPT the Original Bond.
  2. Use ONLY DuPage County forms unless the case does not allow for it.
  3. Fill in all of the blanks (i.e. don’t put “unknown” or “N/A”).
  4. Double check to assure all documents are signed and notarized (Petition, Affidavit of Heirship and Oath).
  5. Where called for, include the Designated Agent form and Consents/waivers from heirs.
  6. All Petitioners must mail an ORIGINAL BOND to the attention of Courtroom 2011.
  7. If a Petitioner is a NOMINATED executor in the Will then, and only then, the bond may be a No Surety Bond, in an amount equal to TWO TIMES the value of the Personal property added to the Income from property. Also include to the Court a HIGHLIGHTED copy of those sections of the Will which nominates the Petitioner, waives surety, and the signed attestation clause.
  8. If the Petitioner is a successor executor, include a declination by any previously nominated executor, or a statement of their being deceased.
  9. ALL other individual Petitioners must mail in an original SURETY Bond, endorsed by an insurance company, equal to at least ONE AND ONE HALF TIMES the value of the Personal property added to the Income from Property. No exceptions.
  10. Banks and Trust companies must submit the Acceptance of Office form clearly stating the name and title of the officer or director who is signing the form.
  11. Bonds must be increased whenever the personal assets in the estate increase during the pendency of the case beyond the calculated bond amount.

Once the Original Bond arrives, the Judge will review each of the documents and you will be notified of any deficiencies or that you may submit an opening order through e-access.  The case will then be added to the call and the Estate will be opened.  Please try to have the Opening order ready to go when you mail in the Bond so that the case can be opened expeditiously.

CLOSING ESTATES:

  1. File all required documents electronically (Final Report, Proof of Publication and all signed receipts, and/or the 42-day notice to all Recipients/heirs).
  2. Use ONLY DuPage County forms unless the case does not allow for it.
  3. Assure that the Final Report is notarized and that the box in the 5thparagraph from the top, related to claims, is checked, or crossed off. 
  4. Prepare and File an attorney CLOSING AFFIDAVIT verifying that no one who took under the estate was a minor or disabled and that there are no unresolved claim issues.  If a 42-day notice was necessary, add to the affidavit that all heirs who did not sign a receipt were included in that notice.

Once all closing documents are filed, the judge will review each of the documents submitted.  You will be notified of deficiencies, if any, or that the matter is set to be closed.  When the matter is approved for closing, the case will be added to the call and upon submission of an order of discharge, the order will be signed and the matter will be closed.

MATTERS HEARD IN COURTROOM 2011

  • Probate
  • Various Chancery matters
  • Tax Deed
  • Tax Objections

All 9:00 a.m. Motions for presentment can be scheduled through the COURT DATE AVAILABILTY CALENDAR (see www.18thjudicial.org) to determine if date is available to notice a motion OR by calling the Judge's Administrative Assistant.

Courtesy copies (hard copies, not email) of all motions set for presentment MUST be provided to the Judge seven (7) days prior to the date of presentment. Failure to do so may result in a rescheduling of the presentment date. 

The Judge will schedule all contested motions, evidentiary hearings and trials. 

Courtesy copies (hard copies, NOT email) of all contested motions MUST be provided to the Judge seven (7) days prior to the hearing.  It is the movants obligation to provide a full set (Motion, Response and Reply) of courtesy copies to the Judge.  Failure to do so may result in a rescheduling of the hearing.

Remote Court Hearings (Zoom)

www.18thjudicial.org/18thJudicial/Remote-Court-Hearings

Form Order

*Probate forms can be found here*

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