Intellectual Property Exhibits in Illinois
Complete guide to preparing intellectual property exhibits that comply with Illinois court requirements. Learn the correct labeling conventions, exchange deadlines, and e-filing procedures.
- Illinois's primary rule governing exhibit preparation is Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218.
- Plaintiffs in Illinois label exhibits with Numbers (1, 2, 3...).
- Defendants in Illinois label exhibits with Letters (A, B, C...).
- Illinois courts require electronic exhibits to be filed through Odyssey eFileIL.
- Exhibits must be exchanged with opposing counsel 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) under Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218.
- Common intellectual property exhibits in Illinois include registration documents, prior art, infringement evidence.
- ExhibitPrep applies Illinois exhibit stamps entirely in the browser, so intellectual property case files never leave the user's computer.
Illinois Exhibit Requirements at a Glance
| Plaintiff Exhibits | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) |
| Defendant Exhibits | Letters (A, B, C...) |
| Exchange Deadline | 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) |
| Primary Rule | Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218 |
| E-Filing System | Odyssey eFileIL |
Common Intellectual Property Exhibits
Registration Documents
Patents, trademarks, copyrights, certificates. For Illinois e-filing on Odyssey eFileIL, keep each file under 25 MB per document, 50 MB per envelope.
Prior Art
Publications, products, patents showing prior existence
Infringement Evidence
Screenshots, products, advertisements showing infringement
Damages Calculations
Lost profits, reasonable royalties, expert reports
Development Records
Design documents, source code, invention disclosures
License Agreements
Existing licenses, royalty statements, assignments
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Illinois-Specific Considerations
- Northern District handles significant patent cases
- Trade secret protection under ITSA
- Non-compete restrictions increasing
- Manufacturing and pharma IP common
How to Prepare Your Exhibits
Gather Your Documents
Collect all documents relevant to your intellectual property case. This typically includes registration documents, prior art, infringement evidence, and other supporting evidence.
Convert to PDF
Convert all documents to PDF format. Illinois courts require electronic exhibits to be filed via Odyssey eFileIL. Scan paper documents at 300 DPI.
Apply Exhibit Labels
Use ExhibitPrep to add Illinois-compliant exhibit stamps. Plaintiffs use Numbers (1, 2, 3...), defendants use Letters (A, B, C...).
Exchange with Opposing Counsel
Exchange your exhibit list and copies with opposing counsel 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) per Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218.
Save Hours on Exhibit Preparation
ExhibitPrep stamps all your intellectual property exhibits in minutes, not hours. Upload your documents, select the correct Illinois template, and download court-ready exhibits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I label intellectual property exhibits in Illinois?
Use Numbers (1, 2, 3...) for plaintiff exhibits and Letters (A, B, C...) for defense exhibits, per Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218. Illinois exhibit stickers belong in the lower right corner of the first page, and the top right 2x2 inches must stay blank for the clerk's stamp. ExhibitPrep's Intellectual Property templates apply the right prefix automatically, so you're not re-deriving the local convention on every filing.
When do I have to exchange intellectual property exhibits in Illinois?
Illinois sets the exhibit exchange window at 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218), though the exact date can shift with your assigned judge's scheduling order. Confirm the deadline in your case's pretrial order before you start stamping, then batch-process the full intellectual property production in one ExhibitPrep session once it's locked in.
What e-filing system handles intellectual property exhibits in Illinois?
Illinois runs electronic filing through Odyssey eFileIL, which caps individual uploads at 25 MB per document, 50 MB per envelope. Export each exhibit as a text-searchable PDF, and split any long registration documents into separate files before uploading so a single scanned record doesn't blow past the cap.
What exhibits come up most in a Illinois intellectual property case?
Intellectual Property matters in Illinois typically turn on registration documents, prior art, infringement evidence, plus whatever case-specific records the dispute calls for. Northern District handles significant patent cases. Stamp them all inside ExhibitPrep using the matching plaintiff or defense template, so every exhibit in the production carries a consistent, court-compliant mark before it goes to opposing counsel.
Can I stamp a large intellectual property production for Illinois courts?
Yes. The Day Pass ($14.99) gives you unlimited stamping for 24 hours, which covers hundreds of exhibits in a single intellectual property case. Processing runs entirely in your browser, so your Illinois case files never leave your computer. That matters here because Odyssey eFileIL's 25 MB per document, 50 MB per envelope cap often forces a large production into dozens of separate uploads.
Related Resources
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