In February 2026, the Appellate Lawyers Association wrote to the Hon. Mary L. Mikva, Chair of the Executive Committee of Illinois Appellate Court, First Judicial District, to recommend a change to the First District's Local Rule 22 regarding the filing of paper copies of electronically filed briefs. On May 15, 2026, a majority of the justices of the First District voted to approve the ALA's recommended change. Specifically, Local Rule 22(e) has been amended to make clear that a filer need not "file" a previously electronically filed brief.

On the same date, a majority of the justices of the First District also voted to approve a change to Local Rule 21 to revise and clarify that mediators must either be a sitting judge of the Appellate Court or a pro bono attorney with appropriate training and appointed by the Court. Additionally, the process of assigning cases to mediation has been clarified for consistency with Supreme Court Rule 310.1. 

The amended rules can be found here.