No party may argue unless that party has filed a brief as required by the rules and paid any fee required by law. A party who has requested oral argument and who thereafter determines to waive oral argument shall promptly notify the clerk and all other parties. Any other party who has filed a brief without requesting oral argument may then request oral argument upon prompt notice to the clerk and all other parties.
After the briefs have been filed, the court may dispose of any case without oral argument if no substantial question is presented, but this power shall be exercised sparingly and only upon the entry of a written order stating with specificity why such power is being exercised in the affected case. Notwithstanding the foregoing, oral argument shall be held in any case in which at least one member of the panel assigned to the case requests it.
Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 352
Committee Comments
(Revised July 1, 1975)
This rule is based upon former Supreme Court Rule 43. See also former Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth District (and earlier Uniform) Appellate Court Rule 13(4).
Paragraph (a)
Paragraph (a) is based largely upon the first paragraph of former Rule 43. The last two sentences are new; the former provision did not require notice of an election to waive oral argument, but provided that if a party appeared at the argument and the other party failed to appear, the party who appeared could argue anyway. The new provision, stated in the last two sentences of the paragraph, requires prompt notice of waiver and a prompt notice by the opposite party if he desires oral argument.
The last paragraph was added in 1975. As to the length of argument, see comment to paragraph (b).
Paragraph (b)
This paragraph is based in part upon the second paragraph of former Rule 43. The provision for requesting additional time by motion filed in advance of the date fixed for hearing is new. The final sentence, which reminds counsel that he need not use all the time allowed and which provides that the court may terminate the argument whenever in its judgment further argument is unnecessary, is also new.
Paragraph (a) limits the power of the court to deny permission to argue orally to cases in which it is determined that no substantial question is presented, and cautions that the power to dispense with oral argument is to be used sparingly. Paragraph (b), on the other hand, leaves the court free to limit the length of the argument in advance, as well as to terminate it once it has begun. when argument is to be limited in advance, ordinarily counsel should be notified reasonably in advance of the date set for argument.
Paragraph (c)
This provision is taken from Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth District (and earlier Uniform) Appellate Court Rule 13(4), second paragraph, last sentence.
Paragraph (d)
This paragraph is based upon the first sentence of the third paragraph of former Rule 43 and paragraph 4 of Rule 44 of the rules of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Paragraph (e)
This paragraph is new.
Paragraph (f)
This paragraph is derived from the second sentence of former Supreme Court Rule 43 (which did not provide for the filing of another brief upon leave of court or a judge thereof) and the last paragraph of former Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth District (and earlier Uniform) Appellate Court Rule 13(4).
Paragraph (g) This paragraph is new.