Court & Hearings

The information in this guide applies to civil appeals from Illinois circuit court decisions. If you are looking for forms to begin a criminal appeal, visit the Illinois Supreme Court's website. 

If you lose a case in the circuit court, you can appeal the case to the appellate court. The appellate court will then review the case and decide whether the circuit court made a mistake. The appellate court will not give you a new trial. You cannot present any witnesses or new evidence. The appellate court will only look at what happened in the original trial.

The party who is appealing a court’s decision is called the “appellant.” The party who is responding to the appeal is called the “appellee.”

The civil appeals process is difficult. It involves many strict deadlines. You must follow the Illinois Supreme Court Rules. 

Learn more about the steps to start the process to appeal a circuit court decision. See a list of forms you’ll need throughout your appeal and where to find them. Explore additional resources available for civil appeals.

Note: If you are appealing a decision from an administrative agency, different rules, deadlines, and procedures may apply. If you are not sure what type of appeal you are filing or which rules apply, talk to a lawyer.