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Summons

Illinois · Illinois Supreme Court · Effective August 1, 2025

This form is a Summons used to officially notify someone that they have been sued in a court case. It tells the person who received it how and when they must respond to the lawsuit.

Open the official PDFfrom Illinois Supreme Court

Where this fits in a case

Start a case

Stage: Start a case

This form is used when someone is starting a civil lawsuit against another person or business. The person starting the case must have the Summons officially delivered to the person being sued.

Usually filed by the person starting the case.

Official instructions

How-to guides published by the court for this form.

Common questions

What is the difference between a 30-Day Summons and a Date Certain Summons?
A 30-Day Summons is used for most case types, while a Date Certain Summons is used if you are asking for money of $50,000 or less or for personal property. The instructions explain when to use each type.
Who can fill out this form?
The form includes sections for the Plaintiff/Petitioner to enter case information, and sections to be filled out by the Circuit Clerk or an officer/process server when the documents are served.
What should the person who receives this document do?
The person who receives this document is told they have been sued and should read all attached documents. They are also told where to find information about filing fees or attending court.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect August 1, 2025.

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