Which Illinois court hears your civil case
Civil jurisdiction thresholds with statutory authority. Source: 1Court Directory, verified 2026-08-20 (official source).
| Tier | Court | Amount in controversy | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small claims | Circuit Court: Small Claims Money-only claims of $10,000 or less. | Up to $10,000 | Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 281 |
| General civil | Circuit Court Unified Circuit Court; claims above $10,000 proceed in the Circuit Court. | No limit | Ill. Const. art. VI, § 9 |
Unified Circuit Court; no separate limited-jurisdiction civil court by dollar amount.
Answer deadline after service
A defendant generally has 30 days after service of the summons and complaint to file an answer (735 ILCS 5/2-1301).
Estimates from the statutory answer period; service-method extensions and local rules can change these dates. Verify before relying on them. Not legal advice.
19 Illinois forms SimpleCase prepares
Generated from your uploaded complaint, with captions and terminology matched to Illinois practice. Every document is a draft for attorney review.
- Motion for Continuance(pattern) Good-cause continuance with proposed order
- Notice of Deposition(pattern) Oral deposition with optional duces tecum; recording method per rule
- Civil Subpoena(pattern) Testimony and/or production (duces tecum); issuance and witness-fee rules vary
- Answer(pattern) Responsive pleading: denials and affirmative defenses
- Satisfaction of Judgment(pattern) 735 ILCS 5/12-183: acknowledgment of satisfaction for entry on the docket
- Proof of Service by MailProof of service by first-class mail: IL
- Civil Cover SheetIL mandatory civil cover sheet
- Summons (ATJ 1503.8)IL Supreme Court approved summons: 30-day answer
- AppearanceIL appearance filing
- Motion for Default Judgment735 ILCS 5/2-1301(d): want of appearance or failure to plead
- Affidavit of Military StatusSCRA compliance: 50 U.S.C. § 3931
- Default Judgment OrderProposed order for judge signature
- Citation to Discover Assets735 ILCS 5/2-1402: compel debtor to disclose assets
- Wage Deduction Summons735 ILCS 5/12-805: IL wage garnishment (85% / 45x min wage exempt)
- Non-Wage Garnishment Summons735 ILCS 5/12-701: bank accounts & third-party property
- Fee Waiver Application735 ILCS 5/5-105: Application for Waiver of Court Fees
- Voluntary Dismissal735 ILCS 5/2-1009: notice of voluntary dismissal
- Civil Action Cover Sheet (Cook County Law Division)CCL 0520: Law Division (claims over $30,000); required with the complaint
- Civil Action Cover Sheet (Cook County Municipal Department)CCM 0520 (pattern): Municipal Department (claims to $30,000, the collections venue); required with the complaint
Filing packages
One click assembles the forms a Illinois matter typically needs at each stage.
General Civil
Civil Cover Sheet · Summons (ATJ 1503.8) · Appearance · Proof of Service by Mail
Collections: File & Serve
Civil Cover Sheet · Summons (ATJ 1503.8) · Appearance
Collections: Default Judgment
Motion for Default Judgment · Affidavit of Military Status · Default Judgment Order
Collections: Enforce Judgment
Satisfaction of Judgment · Citation to Discover Assets · Wage Deduction Summons · Non-Wage Garnishment Summons
Fee Waiver
Fee Waiver Application
Voluntary Dismissal
Voluntary Dismissal
County-level court details
Filing fees, clerk contacts, e-filing portals, and courthouse addresses for every Illinois county are in the 1Court Directory: Illinois.
How it works
Upload your case document
PDF, Word, image, or text. SimpleCase extracts parties, claims, amounts, and dates.
Confirm venue and court
For unfiled cases, SimpleCase suggests the county, court level, and courthouse, with the statutory basis shown.
Generate the package
Every required form, filled and assembled as a ZIP, ready for attorney review and filing.
Turn a complaint into a filing-ready case
Your first 3 cases are free. No card required.
Try SimpleCase freeSimpleCase prepares document drafts for attorney review; it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Court data on this page is sourced from the 1Court Directory with the verification date shown, and statutes and court rules change: always confirm current requirements, deadlines, and fees with the clerk of the court before filing.