Illinois Supreme Court Rule 99.1 is the statewide rule tied to mortgage foreclosure mediation programs, and the Illinois Courts rules page shows it was amended effective March 1, 2026. In practical terms, that means the rule supplies the statewide framework, but the local circuit court still controls the day-to-day process for getting a case into mediation and moving it forward. Supreme Court RulesAmendment ArchivePART 2.00 Judicial Administration
For homeowners, that distinction matters. A mediation program may exist in a circuit, but the way to ask for it, the timing of the request, and whether a judge can later refer the case can depend on local rules. The 17th Judicial Circuit’s published rules and program page are a good example of that local control, and Cook County also maintains its own foreclosure-mediation page. PART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure ProgramChancery Division Mediation | Circuit Court of Cook County
If you are facing a foreclosure case, contact EV Häs, LLC Attorney at Law to discuss how Rule 99.1 fits your circuit’s mediation procedure and what to review next.
Rule 99.1 is identified on the Illinois Supreme Court rules page as “Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Programs,” and the same page shows it was amended on December 2, 2025, effective March 1, 2026. The amendment archive independently confirms that Rule 99.1 was among the rules amended by that order. Supreme Court RulesAmendment Archive
That is the clearest statewide point available from the accessible sources: the rule exists as a court-created framework for foreclosure mediation programs. What the sources do not give, at least in the accessible text, is a complete line-by-line statewide rule analysis. Because of that, the most careful way to describe Rule 99.1 is as the statewide authority that permits mediation programs, not as a self-contained description of every local intake step or deadline. Supreme Court RulesAmendment Archive
The local rules from the 17th Judicial Circuit show how that statewide framework works on the ground. The circuit says it has established a Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program with Supreme Court approval, and its local rule describes how a timely application can function as the homeowner’s election into the program. PART 2.00 Judicial Administration
The same local rule says plaintiff participation becomes mandatory once the homeowner timely applies, and it also allows later motion practice if the homeowner did not timely enter the program. That is a useful reminder that the real question is often not whether mediation exists somewhere in Illinois, but how the specific circuit handles access. PART 2.00 Judicial Administration
Based on the accessible sources, the answer is not one universal statewide deadline that applies the same way in every county. Instead, the local circuit’s program determines the entry point. In the 17th Circuit, a homeowner may seek mediation by timely application, by later motion for referral if the first chance was missed, or through a judge’s own referral on the court’s initiative. PART 2.00 Judicial Administration
Cook County’s Chancery Division also maintains a Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program page, which reinforces the same general point: foreclosure mediation is administered through local court systems rather than by a single statewide intake desk. The county page also directs some homeowners to legal-aid resources when they are not yet in foreclosure or have not yet received a summons. Chancery Division Mediation | Circuit Court of Cook County
Some local programs allow later referral requests, but the details vary by circuit. Contact EV Häs, LLC Attorney at Law to review the court papers and the local rules that apply.
The March 1, 2026 effective date tells you the current framework should be read in light of the amended rule, but the accessible court sources do not provide the full text of the amended Rule 99.1 itself. That means it is not safe to claim more than the sources actually show. What can be said with confidence is that the amendment exists, the rule is active, and local circuit programs continue to supply the operating details. Supreme Court RulesAmendment ArchivePART 2.00 Judicial Administration
Local court administration typically answers the practical questions homeowners ask first: How do I enter the program? Is participation automatic or by request? Who schedules the session? What happens if the homeowner is found unsuitable? The 17th Circuit materials show that a court can provide for review of an ineligibility decision, and that a homeowner may be able to seek referral even after missing the initial timing requirement, subject to the local standard. PART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure Program
That local control matters because mediation is procedural, not abstract. A homeowner needs the actual court notice, the case status, and the local rule set to know whether a request is timely and what the court will expect next. The Illinois courts pages and local program pages are more reliable than general assumptions about how foreclosure cases work. Supreme Court RulesPART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure Program
The 17th Judicial Circuit’s public program page describes its mortgage foreclosure program as available in pending residential foreclosure cases and at no cost. Its local rules further describe a process in which a timely application elects the program, while a later motion may still be possible if the homeowner missed the initial opportunity. PART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure Program
That is why homeowners should not assume that one county’s procedure is the same as another’s. A rule amendment at the statewide level can coexist with different local forms, local notices, and local scheduling mechanics. In other words, Rule 99.1 tells you that foreclosure mediation programs are recognized statewide; the circuit rules tell you how to use them. Supreme Court RulesPART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure Program
The most useful next step is to collect the court papers that show what stage the case is in. For mediation questions, that usually means the summons, complaint, any mediation notice, and any order entered by the court. Those documents help show whether the homeowner is within the initial window or is instead looking at a later referral request under the local rules. PART 2.00 Judicial Administration
It also helps to read the local program page for the exact circuit where the case is pending. Cook County and the 17th Circuit both publish program information, but the details are not identical. The right question is not simply whether foreclosure mediation exists; it is whether the case is in a circuit that offers it and what that circuit requires right now. Mortgage Foreclosure ProgramChancery Division Mediation | Circuit Court of Cook County
Because the accessible statewide sources do not provide the full amended text of Rule 99.1, homeowners should be cautious about relying on outdated summaries or old forms. The safer approach is to compare the current court notice, the current local rule, and the current program page before assuming the mediation path has closed or is still open. Supreme Court RulesAmendment ArchivePART 2.00 Judicial Administration
This framework matters because a homeowner can lose time by treating mediation as automatic, or by assuming a missed first step ends the opportunity everywhere. The local rules show that at least one Illinois circuit allows later motion practice and court review of suitability decisions, which means the process can remain active even after the initial enrollment stage has passed. PART 2.00 Judicial Administration
It also matters because mediation is not the same thing as a final outcome. The sources support the idea that the program is a case-management tool within foreclosure litigation, not a guarantee of any particular result. A homeowner still needs to understand what the program does in that circuit, what documents are required, and how the court expects the parties to proceed. PART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure ProgramChancery Division Mediation | Circuit Court of Cook County
If you want help sorting out which local rule applies, contact EV Häs, LLC Attorney at Law to organize the court record and identify the practical next step. That can be especially useful when a foreclosure case has moved, the notices are confusing, or the homeowner is trying to determine whether a mediation request is still available under the local program. Supreme Court RulesPART 2.00 Judicial Administration
Sources
Information checked 2026-11-11. General educational information; individual facts and current law matter.
Bring your summons, complaint, and any mediation notices to a conversation with EV Häs, LLC Attorney at Law so you can sort out the court’s current path and your options.
Yes. The Illinois Supreme Court rules page lists Rule 99.1 as “Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Programs,” and shows it was amended effective March 1, 2026. That makes it the statewide rule tied to foreclosure-mediation programs, even though the local circuit still controls the day-to-day process. Supreme Court RulesAmendment ArchivePART 2.00 Judicial Administration
The accessible sources do not support that conclusion. What they do show is that local circuit rules still define how a homeowner enters mediation, including whether the first step is a timely application, a later motion, or a judge’s referral. Supreme Court RulesPART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure Program
In at least one local Illinois program, yes. The 17th Judicial Circuit’s local rule says a homeowner who did not timely enter the program may move for referral to mediation, subject to the local standard, and the court may also refer the matter on its own motion. PART 2.00 Judicial Administration
No. The sources show local administration in different circuits, including the 17th Judicial Circuit and Cook County. That means a homeowner should check the local court where the foreclosure case is pending rather than assume one county’s procedure applies everywhere. PART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationChancery Division Mediation | Circuit Court of Cook County
The 17th Circuit materials indicate that a homeowner determined to be unsuitable for mediation may petition for court review, including if circumstances change. That does not guarantee entry into the program, but it shows there may be a local review path. PART 2.00 Judicial Administration
At least the 17th Judicial Circuit’s public program page describes its mortgage foreclosure program as at no cost. Because the sources are local, homeowners should confirm the fee status on the program page for the circuit where their case is pending. Mortgage Foreclosure Program
Start with the current court papers and the local program page for the circuit where the case is filed. Then compare those documents with the current statewide Rule 99.1 listing and the local rules. If the documents are hard to read or the timing is unclear, it is sensible to get help organizing the record. Supreme Court RulesPART 2.00 Judicial AdministrationMortgage Foreclosure Program
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