The strongest version of this motion is usually not an argument that the judge is biased. It is a procedural argument that the law does not let the named judge decide the question.
The Steps
- 1Identify the cause specifically
Vague allegations of unfairness fail. Identify dated events, rulings, statements, or record facts, each tied to a document or transcript page.
- 2Verify the motion
Under 735 ILCS 5/1-109, sign a certification that the factual statements are true. Verification is what makes the motion threshold-compliant.
- 3State the relief precisely
Ask that a judge other than the one named be assigned to hear the motion, and that the case be reassigned if cause is found.
- 4File it and get the stamp
Obtain a file-stamped copy. If the clerk refuses the filing, document the refusal in writing immediately — the refusal itself becomes part of the record.
- 5Serve all parties and note the docket
Serve the State and confirm the docket entry classification. A motion classified as correspondence will never be set.
- 6Watch what gets set, and before whom
If the matter is set before the judge named in a pending motion, that is a documented procedural conflict worth preserving immediately.
What the Record Shows
- In this record, a verified renewed motion for substitution for cause and a notice setting the matter before the named judge bear the same July 23, 2026 file stamp. See the two stamps.
- This page is general information about Illinois procedure, not legal advice for any specific case.