This is the process for Cook County. If you are e-filing in another Illinois county, visit the E-filing in Illinois page.

After filing the document using an e-filing website, you should receive two emails: 

1. A confirmation message: This message should arrive very soon after you submit your document telling you that your document was received; and
2. A status message: This tells you if your document is accepted or rejected by the court clerk and can take several hours, or even days, to receive. Keep checking your email to see if your filing was accepted. If your document is accepted it will be filed with the court and become a part of the case. Even if your document is accepted, you should continue to check your email address regularly in case you get more information from the court about your case. 

Documents can be rejected by the clerk because:

• Not in the correct format
• Incorrect or unpaid fee
• Choosing “Confidential” without uploading a judicial order 

Note: If your document is rejected, you have to fix the problem and refile it. You should get an e-mail saying why your documents were rejected. You can learn more about what to do to fix a rejection here.

Even if the court clerk accepts a document, it can still be rejected by a judge because of a mistake with e-filing: 

• Filed in the wrong court/district (Cook County is divided into six districts, each with their own courthouse. If you are not sure which District your town is located in, you can look at the Circuit Court of Cook County website.)
• Filed in the wrong division
• Filed the wrong case type
• Incomplete or wrongly filled-out document (for a detailed list of forms see the Cook County Clerk's website.)

Did you apply for a waiver of your court fees?

In Cook County, most people asking for a waiver of court fees must appear in-person for a hearing within fourteen (14) days of filing their fee waiver application. Before you go to court for your fee waiver hearing, see the Clerk’s webpage for more information, including a schedule of hearing dates and times.

Where is my hearing going to be?

It depends on the type of case you have filed and the courthouse you filed it in. You can find out where and when your hearing takes place once you arrive at court. Determine the courthouses where your hearing will be with the Cook County Circuit Court locations tool:

• Chicago (District 1),
• Skokie (District 2),
• Rolling Meadows (District 3),
• Maywood (District 4),
• Bridgeview (District 5), and
• Markham (District 6).

What happens at the court hearing?

At the hearing, the judge may ask you questions about your income, expenses, and property. Bring any paperwork that may help the judge make a decision. This can include proof of income, major expenses, or other paperwork. Anything that shows you do not have enough money to pay the court fees. If you receive a government benefit like SNAP, SSI, or SSDI you should bring proof of your benefit to show the judge.

Do you need an interpreter or accommodation when you go to court? 

Free interpreters are provided for court hearings in Cook County. To request an interpreter, you should tell the clerk in your courtroom when you check-in and also tell the judge when your case is called. Depending on availability, your case may be continued (rescheduled) for another date, so the court has time to get an interpreter. You cannot request an interpreter in advance. Call the Court Disability Coordinator at (312) 603-1915 or (312) 603-1914  (TTY) if you have questions.

Do you need a sign language interpreter?

Contact the Chief Judge’s Office of Accessibility as early as possible. Find out what counts as a disability here. You can use the court’s Request for Accommodation Form. Send a scanned copy of the form by email to [email protected] or by mail to Court Disability Coordinator (69 W. Washington Street, Suite 3300, Chicago, Illinois 60602). Someone from the court should respond in writing within 7 days.

For live help e-filing, please visit Illinois Court Help.