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https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/small-claims-complaint
Date: 09/07/2025

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Money & Debt

Worried about doing this on your own?  You may be able to get free legal help.

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Small claims complaint Easy Form
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This Easy Form helps you make the forms to sue someone for up to $10,000. It can also help you sue a landlord to get a security deposit back.

The Easy Form does not e-file your forms. You can download the forms and e-filing instructions at the end of the program.

If you are e-filing, you can upload other documents as attachments during the e-filing process. If you are paper filing, bring copies of the documents to the clerk's office so you can attach them to the complaint.

Learn more about starting a small claims case.

This program will help you make your court forms. It will ask questions for you to answer. At the end of the program, you will get completed court forms and instructions. You can save and print them, or the program can email them to you.

Form completion time: 10 minutes to 20 minutes

You will be able to save your work in the middle of the program.

This program will help you avoid mistakes when filling out the court forms. Your case could be delayed if there are errors on your forms. If you want to download a PDF version, visit the Illinois Courts Standardized State Forms website. Use Adobe Reader to fill in the PDF forms or print the forms to fill out by hand.

The interview and forms are in English.

Can I use this program?

To use this program, you must be 18 or older and want to sue someone for $10,000 or less.

What do I need first?

To complete this program, you will need to know:

  • The name and address of the person or business you are suing, and
  • The reasons you are suing them.

If you are suing your former landlord to return your security deposit, you need to know:

  • The name and address of your former landlord,
  • The dates you moved in and moved out of the apartment,
  • The amount and date of security deposit payments you made, and
  • The date you sent your demand letter to the landlord.

What documents will this create?

This program prepares the following forms. The forms you get will depend on your answers.

  • How to File & Serve a Small Claims Complaint & Small Claims Summons
  • Small Claims Complaint
  • Additional Reasons (Small Claims Complaint)
  • Additional Defendants (Small Claims Complaint)
  • Small Claims Summons
  • Small Claims Order
  • Letter to the Sheriff

Easy Form program opens in a new tab or window.

Start program
Mobile-friendly
Last full review by a subject matter expert
April 30, 2024
Last revised by staff
December 03, 2024

About our legal information

Forms

Security deposit demand letter Easy Form
A program to help you demand that your former landlord return your security deposit.
Security deposit complaint Easy Form
A program to help you sue to get your security deposit back.

Learn more

Time limits to file your small claims case
Filing costs in a small claims case
Settle before going to small claims court

Worried about doing this on your own?  You may be able to get free legal help.

Apply Online

Forms

Security deposit demand letter Easy Form
A program to help you demand that your former landlord return your security deposit.
Security deposit complaint Easy Form
A program to help you sue to get your security deposit back.

Learn more

Time limits to file your small claims case
Filing costs in a small claims case
Settle before going to small claims court
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All rights reserved.
 
ILAO is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. ILAO's tax identification number is 20-2917133.

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© 2025 Illinois Legal Aid Online. 
All rights reserved.
 
ILAO is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. ILAO's tax identification number is 20-2917133.