Rule 11.Manner of Serving Documents Other Than Process and Complaint on Parties Not in Default in the Trial and Reviewing Courts

Article I. General Rules · Last amended 2024 · Last verified July 20, 2026

In one sentenceRule 11 sets how documents other than a summons and complaint must be served on parties and their attorneys, making electronic service the default method.

Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 11

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

(a) On Whom Made. If a party is represented by an attorney of record, service shall be made upon the attorney. Otherwise service shall be made upon the party.

(b) E-mail Address. An attorney must include on the appearance and on all pleadings filed in court an e-mail address to which documents and notices will be served in conformance with Rule 131(d). A self-represented litigant who has an e-mail address must also include the e-mail address on the appearance and on all pleadings filed in court to which documents and notices will be served in conformance with Rule 131(d).

(1) Electronic service may be made on a party via e-mail or through an approved electronic filing service provider (EFSP) to the following e-mail addresses:

(i) the e-mail address(es) currently listed in the party’s filed appearance;

(ii) the e-mail address(es) currently entered by the party into the EFSP; or

(iii) the e-mail address(es) provided by the party orally to the court as an address designated for service of legal documents purposes of Rule 11(c)(1) and written by the party or the court on an order or other court-approved form that is made part of the record.

A judge may assign a different e-mail address to a party for the purposes of achieving effective electronic service on that party. If service is made by e-mail, the documents may be transmitted via attachment or by providing a link within the body of the e-mail that will allow the party to download the document.

(2) If a self-represented party does not have an e-mail address, or if service other than electronic service is specified by rule or order of court, or if extraordinary circumstances prevent timely electronic service in a particular instance, service of documents may be made by one of the following alternative methods:

(i) Personal Service. Delivering the document to the attorney or party personally;

(ii) Delivery to Attorney’s Office or Self-Represented Party’s Residence. Delivery of the document to an authorized person at the attorney’s office or in a reasonable receptacle or location at or within the attorney’s office. If a party is not represented by counsel, by leaving the document at the party’s residence with a family member of the age of 13 years or older;

(iii)United States Mail. Depositing the document in a United States post office or post office box, enclosed in an envelope to the party’s address, as identified by the party’s appearance in the matter, with postage fully prepaid; or

(iv)Third-Party Commercial Carrier. Delivery of the document through a third-party commercial carrier or courier, to the party’s address, as identified by the party’s appearance in the matter, with delivery charge fully prepaid.

(d) Multiple Parties or Attorneys. In cases in which there are two or more plaintiffs or defendants who appear by different attorneys, service of all documents shall be made on the attorney for each of the parties. When more than one attorney appears for a party, service upon one of them is sufficient.

(e) Notice of E-mail Rejection. If a party serving a document via e-mail receives a rejection message or similar notification suggesting that transmission was not successful, the party serving the document shall make a good-faith effort to alert the intended recipient of a potential transmission problem and take reasonable steps to ensure actual service of the document.

(f) Limited Scope Appearance. After an attorney files a Notice of Limited Scope Appearance in accordance with Rule 13(c)(6), service of all documents shall be made on both the attorney and the party represented on a limited scope basis until: (1) the court enters an order allowing the attorney to withdraw under Rule 13(c) or (2) the attorney’s representation automatically terminates under Rule 13(c)(7)(ii).

End

Plain-English Summary

Rule 11 governs service of everything except the original summons and complaint. If a party has a lawyer, service goes to the lawyer; otherwise it goes to the party directly. Attorneys must list an email address on their appearance and every pleading, and self-represented litigants who have one must do the same.

Electronic service is now the default, made to the email address on file in the party's appearance or with the electronic filing service provider. When electronic service is not available or not appropriate, the rule allows personal delivery, delivery to an office or residence, U.S. mail, or a third-party commercial carrier.

The rule also protects parties with multiple attorneys, requires a good-faith follow-up if an email bounces back, and extends service obligations to both the attorney and client during a limited scope appearance, so the client stays informed even while represented on a limited basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is email the default way to serve documents in Illinois?

Yes, unless a rule or court order specifies otherwise, or extraordinary circumstances make electronic service impractical.

Where does electronic service go if a party is represented by a lawyer?

To the email address listed on the attorney's appearance or entered into the electronic filing service provider.

What if I don't have an email address and I'm representing myself?

You can be served through personal delivery, delivery to your residence, U.S. mail, or a third-party commercial carrier instead.

What should I do if my e-mailed service bounces back?

Rule 11(e) requires a good-faith effort to alert the recipient of the transmission problem and take reasonable steps to complete actual service.

Who gets served when an attorney has a limited scope appearance?

Both the attorney and the client must be served with documents until the limited scope representation ends under Rule 13.

Committee Comments and Commentary

(Sept. 23, 2024)

The Committee seeks to clarify good faith practices concerning the electronic service of documents, especially with regards to self-represented litigants. Overall, practitioners should be mindful that self-represented litigants may be unsophisticated in electronic filing (“e-filing”), may not regularly use or have access to their e-mail address for business, or may be exempt from e-filing. While e-filing has been an advancement for filing, service, and maintenance of court records, the Committee cautions against using it in a way that could be detrimental to self-represented litigants.

1. A filing party does not obtain effective service of a document on the receiving party when service is sent to an address other than an address listed by the receiving party in either its appearance or the EFSP, or as established by court record as provided above. In other words, service at a different e-mail address is ineffective regardless of whether the party has used that address on other occasions.

2. A filing party may not enter an e-mail address obtained orally, informally, or on some other document like a lease or contract into an electronic filing service provider on behalf of the receiving party. Attorneys and self-represented litigants may use different e-mail addresses for different purposes, and only service on an address designated for service of legal documents is effective. The filing party may include other e-mail addresses in addition to the e-mail address designated in the appearance document for service of legal documents, but the non-designated address may not be the sole address served for purposes of Rule 11(c)(1).

3. When serving a self-represented litigant by e-mail, a filing party should make clear that the e-mail contains important legal documents such as including that information in the “Subject” line of the e-mail.

4. If the receiving party is self-represented but later retains counsel, counsel for a filing party acts consistently with the obligation of fairness embodied in Illinois Rule of Professional Conduct 3.4 by offering to send electronic copies of any previously filed documents to the receiving party’s new counsel, especially those documents that the new counsel cannot obtain from the electronic docket, such as discovery requests.

5. The Committee encourages courts to inquire as to self-represented litigants’ receipt of e-mailed documents and to exercise their discretion under the Committee’s July 15, 2020, comments regarding alternative methods of service where appropriate.

(July 15, 2020) When a self-represented litigant has provided an e-mail address to the court pursuant to subparagraph (b), courts retain discretion to determine if an alternative method of service of documents or notices, either in addition to or instead of e-mail, is needed.

(December 9, 2015) In amending Rule 11 to provide for e-mail service, the Committee considered whether special additional rules should apply to documents served by e-mail, e.g., specified file formats, scan resolutions, electronic file size limitations, etc. The Committee rejected such requirements in favor of an approach which provides flexibility to adapt to evolving technology and developing practice. The Committee further anticipates good faith cooperation by practitioners. For example, if an attorney serves a motion in a format which cannot be read by the recipient, the Committee expects the recipient to contact the sender to request an alternative electronic format or a paper copy.

(December 21, 2012)

New subparagraphs (b)(6) and (7) were created to allow for service of documents electronically. The amendments facilitate electronic communications among the court, parties, and counsel and complement the expansion of e-filing in the trial courts. However, electronic service may not be appropriate in all instances. For example, absent a secure method for electronic service of documents, other service options should be used for cases or documents filed confidentially.

(December 29, 2009)

The rules on service and filing have been revised to provide for sending documents via third-party commercial carrier. Under these rules, the term “delivery” refers to all the carrier’s standard pick-up methods, such as dropping a package in a UPS or FedEx box or with a UPS or FedEx contractor.

Amendment History

Amended April 8, 1980, effective May 15, 1980; amended April 10, 1987, effective August 1, 1987; amended October 30, 1992, effective November 15, 1992; amended December 29, 2009, effective immediately; amended Oct. 24, 2012, effective Jan. 1, 2013; amended Dec. 21, 2012, eff. Jan. 1, 2013; amended June 14, 2013, eff. July 1, 2013; amended Dec. 9, 2015, eff. Jan. 1, 2016; amended June 22, 2017, eff. July 1, 2017; amended July 15, 2020, eff. immediately; amended Jan. 26, 2021, eff. immediately.; amended June 11, 2021, eff. July 1, 2021; amended Sept. 23, 2024, eff. Oct. 1, 2024.

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: how to serve documents illinois courtemail service of process ruleservice on attorney vs partylimited scope appearance serviceproof of service requirement