Court & Hearings
Starting a new case
Resources that cover the beginning of a case. This usually involves filing a Petition (noun) A written request to a court (verb) To request from a court or Complaint A written statement to start a lawsuit that says what the defendant did in court.
Describes what a summons and subpoena are, how they are used and how they are different.
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Learn how to properly notify someone that a lawsuit has begun by arranging for the delivery, or 'service,' of the summons, including different methods of service.
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Steps to file a small claims lawsuit for $10,000 or less from the forms you need to preparing for trial.
How-To
Steps to establish parentage from the forms you need to the court hearing process.
How-To
Steps to file a motion to vacate a default judgment from the forms you need to how the court hearing works.
How-To
Learn what to do if you miss a court date and get a default judgment, including how to file a motion to vacate it within 30 days to avoid wage garnishment, frozen accounts, liens on property, and damage to your credit.
Guide
Information about time limits to bring a lawsuit in Illinois in different areas of law.
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Explains the statute of limitations for small claims cases
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This Easy Form helps you prove that you sent a copy of a court document to the other parties in a court case. It's called a Proof of Delivery or Proof of Service.
Easy Form
Explains how remote court hearings work, how to know if you have one, and how to prepare. It also tells you what to do if you can't participate.
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A video about how to notify the person you are suing about a complaint or petition.
Video
Learn about the differences between a jury trial and bench trial in civil cases.
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Lists information you should think about before filing a small claims case.
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Explains what venue is, where to bring a court case, and how to change venue.
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Explains the process for getting a loved one to receive outpatient treatment for a mental illness.
How-To
This article goes over some general guidelines for where to file a lawsuit. However, this decision can be complex and filing in the wrong court could be costly and time consuming. Talk to a lawyer first about where to file your case.
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Explains the special court in Chicago designed for people without lawyers and when the lawsuit is for $3,000 or less.
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A video about whether you can file your case in state or federal court.
Video
It is very hard to get rid of a default judgment if 30 days have passed since it was entered. You will have to file a petition for relief from the judgment.
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Learn how to use a Citation to Discover Assets to reveal a debtor's financial status.
How-To
A program to help you make forms to ask the court for permission to use an unlicensed special process server. A special process server can deliver court papers to another party in a legal case.
Easy Form
Steps to get a security deposit back by going to court from the forms you need to how the court hearing works.
How-To
This article explains the initial steps of finding, hiring, and meeting with an attorney for the first time. It also provides helpful questions to ask throughout the process.
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A video about what you need to do to start a court case against a person or a business.
Video
Going to court can be scary. Prepare by watching this video which shows each step in the process.
Video
Use this form to sue for the return of your property wrongly being held by someone else.
Form download
Explains what an inpatient admission order is and how to get one for a loved one who has severe mental illness.
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A handbook for lawyers on appellate practice in state and federal courts, covering post-judgment motions, standards of review, cross-appeals, interlocutory appeals, oral arguments, and more.
IICLE
A handbook for lawyers on federal criminal practice, covering jurisdiction, grand juries, bail and detention, plea bargaining, motions, jury selection, sentencing, habeas corpus, and appeals.
IICLE
A handbook for lawyers on tort law, covering pleadings, intentional torts, personal injury, federal claims, and injunctions, with over 30 causes of action, including medical battery, aviation, alcohol liability, premises, and professional negligence.
IICLE
A lawyer resource on Rule 23 and class actions, covering investigation, discovery, notice, pleadings, motions, settlements, derivative suits, and attorneys’ fees.
IICLE
A lawyer resource on business law that guides attorneys in selecting the appropriate entity type for clients, including tax considerations, fiduciary duties, and formation of Illinois corporations.
IICLE
A lawyer resource on federal civil practice, covering jurisdiction, pleadings, motions, discovery, pretrial, magistrate judges, trial, appeals, and more.
IICLE
A lawyer resource on attorney-client relationships, including case development, settlement, jurisdiction, venue, pleadings, affidavits, and related procedures.
IICLE
A lawyer resource on starting a cause of action, including petitions to perpetuate testimony, discovery to identify parties, adding respondents in discovery, class actions, and more.
IICLE
A lawyer resource on civil litigation, covering discovery, litigation rights, tax aspects, injunctions, declaratory relief, dismissals, summary judgment, pretrial conferences, and trial preparation.
IICLE
Get answers to common questions about federal courts, including what cases they hear, where to file, and how to get legal help in Illinois.
FAQ