Illinois Compiled Statutes 735 ILCS 5/2-201 – Commencement of actions – Forms of process
Current as of: 2024 | Check for updates
|
Other versions
(a) Every action, unless otherwise expressly provided by statute, shall be commenced by the filing of a complaint. The clerk shall issue summons upon request of the plaintiff. The form and substance of the summons, and of all other process, and the issuance of alias process, and the service of copies of pleadings shall be according to rules.
(b) One or more duplicate original summonses may be issued, marked “First Duplicate,” “Second Duplicate,” etc., as the case may be, whenever it will facilitate the service of summons in any one or more counties, including the county of venue.
(c) A court’s jurisdiction is not affected by a technical error in format of a summons if the summons has been issued by a clerk of the court, the person or entity to be served is identified as a defendant on the summons, and the summons is properly served. This subsection is declarative of existing law.
(b) One or more duplicate original summonses may be issued, marked “First Duplicate,” “Second Duplicate,” etc., as the case may be, whenever it will facilitate the service of summons in any one or more counties, including the county of venue.
Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 735 ILCS 5/2-201
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
- Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
(c) A court’s jurisdiction is not affected by a technical error in format of a summons if the summons has been issued by a clerk of the court, the person or entity to be served is identified as a defendant on the summons, and the summons is properly served. This subsection is declarative of existing law.