A notice of appeal under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 606(d), Form of Notice on Appeal, is the form that states an appeal is taken from a circuit court order or judgment in a criminal case. It identifies the appellant, the appellant's attorney, the date of the order, the offense and the sentence. The Illinois Supreme Court publishes it among its approved statewide forms. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF is published by the Illinois courts.
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What is Notice of Appeal – Illinois?
The Notice of Appeal in Illinois Supreme Court Rule 606(d), Form of Notice on Appeal, is the form that states an appeal is taken from the order or judgment it describes and identifies the court, parties, attorney, offense and sentence involved.
The form sits in Article VI of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, Appeals in Criminal Cases, Post-Conviction Cases, and Juvenile Court Proceedings, under Rule 606, Perfection of Appeal. It is captioned in the circuit court, with a blank for the judicial circuit and county (or Cook County), and names The People of the State of Illinois as a party. At the top you select one type of appeal: Joining Prior Appeal, Separate Appeal or Cross Appeal.
The body has eight numbered items: the court to which the appeal is taken, the appellant's name and notice address, the appellant's attorney, the date of the judgment or order, the offense, the sentence, the nature of the order when the appeal is not from a conviction, and a note on Rule 18 findings.
This is not the Docketing Statement. The Illinois Courts forms hub lists Rule 606(g), Docketing Statement; Filing Fee, as a separate form. Civil appeal forms, such as the Rule 312 Docketing Statement, are listed under Article III, not Article VI.
Who needs to file Notice of Appeal – Illinois?
The form is for the party who takes an appeal in a case covered by Article VI of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules: criminal cases, post-conviction cases and juvenile court proceedings. Its lines ask for the offense of which the appellant was convicted and the sentence, and line (7) covers appeals that are not from a conviction.
- Appellant: the person appealing, whose name and notice address go on line (2).
- Attorney for the appellant: listed on line (3) when the appellant has one. An appellant who is indigent and has no attorney answers whether he wants one appointed.
- Clerk of Circuit Court: the form says it may be signed by the Appellant, the Attorney for Appellant, or the Clerk of Circuit Court.
Pick the appeal type that fits: Joining Prior Appeal, Separate Appeal or Cross Appeal. Select only one.
If the appeal is from a judgment of a circuit court holding unconstitutional a statute of the United States or of Illinois, a copy of the court's findings made under Rule 18 must be appended. Civil appeals are governed by different rules, listed under Article III on the Illinois Courts forms hub.
When to file Notice of Appeal – Illinois
You complete the notice when you take an appeal from the order or judgment it describes: the form states that an appeal is taken from that order or judgment and asks for its date on line (4). No filing deadline is printed on the form. The time limits belong to Rule 606, Perfection of Appeal, in the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, so check that rule or ask the circuit clerk before the date of the judgment or order passes.
If the appeal is from a judgment holding a statute of the United States or of Illinois unconstitutional, have the court's Rule 18 findings ready, because they must be appended to the notice. The Docketing Statement under Rule 606(g) is a separate form with its own entry on the Illinois Courts forms hub.
Documents you need
- A copy of the court's findings made in compliance with Rule 18, appended to the notice only when the appeal is from a judgment of a circuit court holding unconstitutional a statute of the United States or of Illinois.
How to fill out Notice of Appeal – Illinois
Complete the court caption
Enter the judicial circuit and county in the heading, or use the Cook County version. Then enter the case number after No. and the name lines under THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, v.
Select the type of appeal
Under Notice of Appeal, check one box: Joining Prior Appeal, Separate Appeal or Cross Appeal. The form says to select one.
Name the court of appeal
On item (1), enter the court to which the appeal is taken.
Enter the appellant's details
On item (2), enter the appellant's name, the address to which notices shall be sent, and an email address.
List the attorney on appeal
On item (3), enter the attorney's name, address and email. If the appellant is indigent and has no attorney, answer whether he wants one appointed.
Enter the date of judgment or order
On item (4), enter the date of the judgment or order being appealed.
State the offense and sentence
On item (5), enter the offense of which the appellant was convicted. On item (6), enter the sentence.
Describe a non-conviction order
On item (7), complete the nature of the order appealed from only if the appeal is not from a conviction.
Check the Rule 18 requirement
Item (8) applies when the appeal is from a judgment holding a statute of the United States or of Illinois unconstitutional: a copy of the court's Rule 18 findings must be appended.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Sign on the (Signed) line, or have the attorney or the Clerk of Circuit Court sign. Check every item, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF.
How to submit Notice of Appeal – Illinois
The form prints no filing address, portal, appointment rule or fee, so the channels come from the court where the case was heard. It is captioned in the circuit court of a named judicial circuit and county (or Cook County), and line (1) names the court to which the appeal is taken.
- Prepare the notice: complete and sign it. The form says it may be signed by the Appellant, the Attorney for Appellant, or the Clerk of Circuit Court.
- Append when required: if the appeal is from a judgment holding a statute unconstitutional, attach a copy of the court's Rule 18 findings.
- Filing details: ask the circuit clerk in the county of the case, or read Rule 606 of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, for where and how to file.
The Illinois courts publish the form at the official PDF link on this page. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the court's own channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Checking more than one appeal type, or none, when the form says to select one of Joining Prior Appeal, Separate Appeal or Cross Appeal.
- Leaving out the email or notice address in item (2), which is where notices will be sent to the appellant.
- Skipping the indigent question in item (3) when the appellant has no attorney and may want one appointed.
- Leaving item (7) blank when the appeal is not from a conviction, so the nature of the order appealed from is not stated.
- Omitting the copy of the court's Rule 18 findings when the appeal is from a judgment holding a statute unconstitutional.
- Submitting the notice unsigned; it must be signed by the Appellant, the Attorney for Appellant, or the Clerk of Circuit Court.
- Leaving the date of the judgment or order in item (4) blank or entering a different date.
Frequently asked questions
What is a notice of appeal under Illinois Rule 606(d)?
It is the form, set out in Illinois Supreme Court Rule 606(d), that states an appeal is taken from the order or judgment it describes. It identifies the court, the appellant, the attorney, the date of the order, the offense and the sentence.
Who can sign the Illinois notice of appeal?
The form says it may be signed by the Appellant, the Attorney for Appellant, or the Clerk of Circuit Court. The signature goes on the line marked (Signed) at the end of the second page.
What is the difference between a joining prior appeal, separate appeal and cross appeal?
The form offers three boxes at the top: Joining Prior Appeal, Separate Appeal and Cross Appeal, and says to select one. It does not define them, so check Rule 606 of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules for what each means.
What if the appellant cannot afford an attorney?
Item (3) asks, if the appellant is indigent and has no attorney, whether he wants one appointed. Write your answer on that line; the form does not describe how appointment works.
What do I put on item (7) of the notice of appeal?
Item (7) is only for an appeal that is not from a conviction. In that case, describe the nature of the order appealed from. If the appeal is from a conviction, complete items (5) and (6) instead.
Do I need to attach anything to the notice of appeal?
Only in one case: if the appeal is from a circuit court judgment holding a statute of the United States or of Illinois unconstitutional, append a copy of the court's findings made in compliance with Rule 18.
Is the notice of appeal the same as the docketing statement?
No. The Illinois Courts forms hub lists Rule 606(g), Docketing Statement; Filing Fee, as a separate form from the Rule 606(d) Notice of Appeal.
Can I fill out the Illinois notice of appeal online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the notice with any court; filing follows the court's own channels.
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