The Notice of Appeal (Civil), form ATJ 2803.8, is the statewide notice of appeal that the Illinois Supreme Court has approved and that all Illinois circuit courts must accept. It names the parties, the type of appeal, the orders or judgments you are appealing to the Appellate Court of Illinois and the relief you want, and it includes a Proof of Delivery for the other parties. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. You file it with the clerk of the trial court, and the Illinois Courts website publishes the original.
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What is ATJ 2803.8?
The Notice of Appeal (Civil), form ATJ 2803.8 (07/26), is an Illinois statewide form on which a party to a civil case tells the trial court that it is appealing to the Appellate Court of Illinois, identifying the case, the orders or judgments appealed and the relief sought.
The form is approved by the Illinois Supreme Court, and all Illinois circuit courts are required to accept it. The Illinois Courts website lists it among the Approved Statewide Forms for notices of appeal.
The first page captures the appellate district, the county of the trial court, the parties, the trial court case number, the judge and the Supreme Court Rule that allows the appeal. It then asks for the type of appeal (Appeal, Interlocutory Appeal, Joining Prior Appeal, Separate Appeal or Cross Appeal), each person appealing, the date of every order or judgment, and the relief requested. A box at the top marks appeals subject to expedited disposition under Rule 311(a).
The form also carries the pages that go with it: a Certificate of Court Filing by Mail (Rule 12(b)(5) or Rule 12(b)(6)), a Proof of Delivery to other parties under Rule 11, and a required signature page. The Illinois Courts site publishes related documents: Getting Started Notice of Appeal, How to File a Notice of Appeal and Additional Proof of Delivery.
Who needs to file ATJ 2803.8?
Parties to a civil case in an Illinois circuit court who want to appeal an order or judgment to the Appellate Court of Illinois use this form. Plaintiffs, petitioners, defendants and respondents can all appeal, and the form has a box for each role.
- Each appellant: every person appealing is listed on line 2, and all appellants must sign. Additional appellants sign in the additional appellant block and give their own address, phone number and email.
- Self-represented parties: you may complete the form for yourself on the signature page.
- Lawyers: a licensed attorney completes the lawyer section of the signature page on behalf of a client and enters the client's name and attorney number.
- Child-related cases: check the Rule 311(a) expedited disposition box if the case involves parental responsibility or parenting time (custody or visitation) or relocation of a child.
- Self-represented parties exempt from e-filing under Rule 9: you may file by mail and complete the Rule 12(b)(5) certificate.
- Self-represented parties in jail or prison: you complete the Rule 12(b)(6) certificate instead and must not use the Rule 12(b)(5) page.
All litigants and lawyers complete the Proof of Delivery and the signature page.
When to file ATJ 2803.8
File the Notice of Appeal after the trial court has entered the order or judgment you want to appeal: line 3 asks for the date the court entered each one. The form prints no filing deadline, so for timing and the choice of appeal type use the Illinois Courts guide How to File a Notice of Appeal (approved 07/2026), which the form itself refers to. When you send the notice to the other parties, the Proof of Delivery records the date and time you send it. If you file by mail, the certificate records the date, time and place you mailed it.
Documents you need
- Proof of Delivery to Other Parties (part of form ATJ 2803.8): every litigant and lawyer completes it to show how and when the notice goes to the other parties under Rule 11, and files it with the circuit clerk.
- Signature page of form ATJ 2803.8: a required page that all litigants and lawyers must complete and sign.
- Certificate of Court Filing by Mail – Rule 12(b)(5): only if you have no lawyer, are not required to e-file under Rule 9, and file by mail. Not for people in jail or prison.
- Certificate of Court Filing by Mail – Rule 12(b)(6): only if you have no lawyer and are in jail or prison, to show how you sent the notice to the circuit clerk.
- Additional Proof of Delivery form: only if you are sending the Notice of Appeal to more than 3 people or lawyers; check the box on the Proof of Delivery and file it with that page.
How to fill out ATJ 2803.8
Mark expedited disposition if it applies
At the top, check the box for THIS APPEAL INVOLVES A MATTER SUBJECT TO EXPEDITED DISPOSITION UNDER RULE 311(a) if your case involves parental responsibility or parenting time (custody or visitation) or relocation of a child.
Enter the appellate district and county
Below APPEAL TO THE APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS, enter the number of the appellate district that will hear the appeal and the county of the trial court. If the trial court case name began with "In re", enter that name.
List the parties and mark appellant
Enter the first, middle and last names of the plaintiff/petitioner and of the defendant/respondent in the trial court. Check Appellant for the party filing the appeal and Appellee for the party responding.
Add case number, judge and rule
On the far right, enter the trial court case number, the name of the presiding judge and the Supreme Court Rule that allows the appellate court to hear the appeal.
Check the type of appeal
On line 1, check Appeal, Interlocutory Appeal, Joining Prior Appeal, Separate Appeal or Cross Appeal. The form refers you to How to File a Notice of Appeal (Civil) for help choosing.
Name each person appealing
On line 2, enter the first, middle and last name of each person filing the appeal and check the matching box: Plaintiff-Appellant, Petitioner-Appellant, Defendant-Appellant or Respondent-Appellant.
List every order or judgment
On line 3, enter the date the trial court entered each order or judgment you want to appeal. There is a line for each date.
State the relief you want
On line 4, check every box that applies: reverse, vacate, change the judgment, order the trial court to do something, or other. Fill in the text lines for the last three options if you check them.
Sign and add your contact details
Sign by typing /s/ and your name if you complete the form on a computer, or sign and print your name if you fill it out by hand. Enter your address, phone number, email and attorney number if any.
Add signatures of other appellants
Have each additional appellant sign in the Additional Appellant Signature block and enter a printed name, address, phone number, email and attorney number, if any. All appellants must sign.
Complete the mail certificate if it applies
Use the Rule 12(b)(5) page only if you have no lawyer and do not have to e-file; use Rule 12(b)(6) if you have no lawyer and are in jail or prison. Enter the mailing location, date and time, the circuit clerk's county and address, then sign, print your name and date it. Skip and remove the page that does not apply.
Complete the Proof of Delivery
In 1A, enter the name of the person or law firm you are sending the notice to (the lawyer, if they have one), and in 1B the date, time and method. Complete 2 and 3 the same way or check the box saying you are not sending to another person.
Complete the signature page
Sign under 735 ILCS 5/1-109 and check whether you complete the form for yourself or as a lawyer for a client. Enter your address, phone and email, or the lawyer's name, attorney number, firm and contact details.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Check each page for blanks, dates and signatures, and remove any certificate page that does not apply. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and file it with the trial court clerk through the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit ATJ 2803.8
The Notice of Appeal is filed with the clerk of the trial court where your case was heard, either through e-filing or, for some self-represented filers, by mail.
- E-filing: the Illinois Courts page says that if you e-file, you must first flatten the completed form so it cannot be changed. In Adobe Acrobat or Reader, choose File, then Print, then Adobe PDF or Print to PDF, and save the result. Open the flattened file to confirm it looks filled out before you file it.
- By mail (Rule 12(b)(5)): only if you have no lawyer and under Rule 9 do not have to e-file. Address the notice to the circuit clerk of the county and complete the certificate with the mailing location, date, time and the clerk's address. Do not use this page if you are in jail or prison.
- From jail or prison (Rule 12(b)(6)): if you have no lawyer, put the notice in the jail or prison mail system addressed to the circuit clerk and complete that certificate with your inmate I.D. number.
File the Proof of Delivery with the circuit clerk, but do not list the clerk as a recipient. Save the PDF to your computer before you fill it out, and use Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader XI or later. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Completing the Rule 12(b)(5) mail certificate when you have a lawyer or must e-file; it is only for self-represented filers who do not have to e-file under Rule 9.
- Using the Rule 12(b)(5) page from jail or prison. People in jail or prison without a lawyer use the Rule 12(b)(6) certificate instead.
- Listing the circuit clerk as a person you are sending documents to on the Proof of Delivery. The form says to file it with the clerk, not to list the clerk.
- Sending documents to a party who has a lawyer instead of to the lawyer, which Rule 11 requires.
- Using mail or hand delivery when you and the recipient both have email. In that case you must send electronically by email or through an approved e-filing website.
- Having only one appellant sign when there are several. All appellants must sign, with their full details in the additional appellant block.
- Leaving out the required signature page, or skipping the Additional Proof of Delivery when sending to more than 3 people.
- E-filing the form without flattening it first, or filling it out on a webpage without saving the PDF, so the progress is lost.
- Hand delivering the notice to someone other than the person, a family member over 13 at the person's residence, the person's lawyer or the lawyer's office.
Frequently asked questions
What is a notice of appeal in an Illinois civil case?
A notice of appeal is the document that tells the trial court you are appealing to the Appellate Court of Illinois. The statewide Notice of Appeal (Civil), form ATJ 2803.8, names the parties, the orders or judgments appealed, the type of appeal and the relief you want.
Where do I file the Illinois Notice of Appeal?
File it with the clerk of the trial court where your case was heard, not with the appellate court. The form says it is filed with the circuit clerk, and the Proof of Delivery is filed with that clerk as well.
Can I fill out the Notice of Appeal online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not file the notice or send it to anyone; you file it with the circuit clerk and deliver it to the other parties yourself.
Do I have to send the Notice of Appeal to the other side?
Yes. Every litigant and lawyer completes the Proof of Delivery, which shows how and when you send the notice to other parties under Supreme Court Rule 11. If a party has a lawyer, you send it to the lawyer.
Can I file the Notice of Appeal by mail?
Only in some cases. If you have no lawyer and do not have to e-file under Rule 9, you can mail it and complete the Rule 12(b)(5) certificate. If you are in jail or prison without a lawyer, complete the Rule 12(b)(6) certificate.
Who has to sign the Notice of Appeal?
All appellants must sign, each with their own name, address and contact details. On a computer you sign by typing /s/ and your name; by hand, you sign and print your name. All litigants and lawyers also sign the required signature page.
What if I am sending the notice to more than three people?
Check the box at the end of the Proof of Delivery saying you are sending it to more than 3 people and have completed an Additional Proof of Delivery form. File that additional form together with the Proof of Delivery.
Which box do I check for a custody or relocation case?
Check the box under Rule 311(a) at the top of the form if your case involves parental responsibility or parenting time (custody or visitation) or relocation of a child. It marks the appeal as subject to expedited disposition.
How do I prepare the PDF for e-filing?
Flatten it so it cannot be changed. In Adobe Acrobat or Reader, use File, Print, then Print to PDF or Adobe PDF, and save the result. Open that file to check that it looks filled out before you e-file it.
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