(a) Legibility. All documents for filing and service shall be legibly written, typewritten,
printed, or otherwise prepared. The clerk may reject any documents which do not conform to this rule.
Rule 131.Form of Documents
Article II. Rules on Civil Proceedings in the Trial Court · Part B. Pleadings and Other Papers · Last amended 2020 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 131 sets basic formatting and identification requirements for every document filed or served in a civil case.
Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 131
(b) Titles. All documents shall be entitled in the court and cause, and the plaintiff’s name shall be placed first.
(c) Multiple Parties. In cases in which there are two or more plaintiffs or two or more defendants, it is sufficient in entitling documents, except a summons, to name the first-named plaintiff and the first-named defendant with the usual indication of other parties, provided there be added the official number of the cause.
(d) Name, Address, Telephone Number and E-mail Address. (1) Attorneys. All documents filed or served in any cause by an attorney upon another
party shall bear the attorney’s name, business address, e-mail address, and telephone number. The attorney must designate a primary e-mail address and may designate no more than two secondary e-mail addresses.
(2) Self-Represented Litigants. All documents filed or served in any cause by a self- represented litigant upon another party shall bear the self-represented litigant’s mailing address and telephone number. Additionally, a self-represented litigant who has an e-mail address must designate a single e-mail address to which service may be directed under Rule 11. If a self- represented litigant does not designate an e-mail address, then service upon and by that party must be made by a method specified in Rule 11 other than e-mail transmission.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 131 covers the housekeeping details of court filings. Documents must be legible, and a clerk can reject ones that are not. Every filing must be titled with the court and cause, with the plaintiff listed first, though cases with many parties can shorten the caption to the first-named plaintiff and defendant as long as the case number appears.
The rule also requires every document to identify who is behind it. Attorneys must include their name, business address, e-mail address, and phone number, and designate one primary e-mail address plus up to two secondary ones for service. Self-represented litigants face a similar requirement: a mailing address and phone number, and, if they have an e-mail address, they must designate a single one for service under Rule 11. Without a designated e-mail address, service on or by that person has to use some other method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a court clerk refuse to accept a document I filed?
Yes, if it is not legible. Rule 131(a) allows the clerk to reject documents that do not meet that standard.
Whose name goes first in the caption of a lawsuit?
The plaintiff’s name is placed first, followed by the defendant, even in cases with multiple plaintiffs or defendants where a shortened caption is used.
What contact information does an attorney have to put on court filings?
Name, business address, e-mail address, and telephone number, along with one designated primary e-mail address and up to two secondary ones.
Do self-represented litigants have to list an e-mail address on their filings?
Only if they have one. If they do, Rule 131(d)(2) requires them to designate a single e-mail address for service under Rule 11; without one, service must use another method.
Does a case with many defendants need to list every one of them in the caption?
No. Rule 131(c) allows documents other than the summons to name just the first-named plaintiff and defendant, with an indication of the other parties and the case number.
Committee Comments
(Revised February 1982) In 1982 the rule, which was former Rule 6 without change of substance, was amended to require that all papers filed or served had to bear the name, as well as the address and telephone number, of the responsible attorney or attorneys and law firm filing them.
Amendment History
Amended February 19, 1982, effective April 1, 1982; amended October 30, 1992, effective November 15, 1992; amended Dec. 21, 2012, eff. Jan. 1, 2013; amended Jan. 4, 2013, eff. immediately; amended Dec. 9, 2015, eff. Jan. 1, 2016; amended Dec. 29, 2017, eff. Jan. 1, 2018; amended July 15, 2020, eff. immediately.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: caption format illinois court filinglegible documents court ruleattorney contact information requirementself represented litigant email addresse-filing service designation