Illinois Supreme Court-Approved Instructions, How to File and Present an Eviction Case

Find Illinois Supreme Court approved forms at: ilcourts.info/forms.
E-I 3511.4 Page 5 of 8 (06/24)
 • Get the name, address, and telephone number unable to serve the Defendants in person, then you
for the sheriff in the county where the Defendant may serve them by posting.
lives. o To serve the Defendants by posting, you must:
• Call the sheriff’s office to confirm the number of • Complete an Affidavit for Service by Posting,
copies the sheriff requires. which states why you need to serve by posting.
• If you have an Order for Waiver of Court Fees, You have to show at least 1 of the following:
confirm that the sheriff will accept this. It must  The Defendant lives outside of Illinois;
be accepted by all sheriffs in Illinois, but not in  The Defendant has gone outside of Illinois;
other states.
 You know the Defendant is in Illinois but you
• Mail copies of your forms to the sheriff’s office cannot find them; OR
as explained in the By mail section above.
 You cannot find the Defendant after trying
o If you are not able to serve the other party before your best.
your court date, go to the court date and ask the
judge to let you file a new Eviction Summons • Bring your Affidavit for Service by Posting to
(sometimes called an “Alias Eviction Summons”) your court date. Tell the judge you will serve the
and set another court date. This will give you time to Defendants by posting.
serve the new Eviction Summons with the new date • Fill out a Notice Requiring Appearance in
and time. Pending Eviction Action.
• Go back to Step 2 to file this new Eviction o You will need to put a new court date on the Notice
Summons. Remember to bring the judge’s order by Posting Requiring Appearance in Pending
to the Circuit Clerk setting the new date. Eviction Action before you file it.
•